Robert William Peters
Jan. 5,1940 - Sept. 22, 2020 Resident of Los Altos
“Bob” as he was known by his grandchildren passed away on a beautiful fall day surrounded by his family.
Bob was born in San Jose to Kathleen and William Peters. Growing up in San Jose among the fruit orchards and rural life, Bob often told stories of riding his bike through the apricot orchards in what is now Fremont Ave. Bob often worked along with his father at his plumbing and construction company, AJ Peters and Son. He was groomed to work in the company and later take it over. However the sudden death of his father when he was 14 changed the course of his life.
He attended St. Leo’s grammar school and Bellarmine College Prep where he ran cross country and achieved many academic awards. He went on to Santa Clara University to study electrical engineering. After graduation he began his ROTC commitment in the Army. Two months into his army training, he married his high school sweetheart, Carol. Bob was assigned to Fort Monmouth, N.J. to work in the Satellite division of the Signal Core.
After his Army commitment, Bob attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business. Upon graduation, he headed back to the West Coast to work for Hewlett Packard in the Frequency and Time Division. A couple years later he moved to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) where he worked for ten years developing the cable and telecommunications systems. During his tenure at SRI he consulted internationally.
He foresaw the potential of Silicon Valley and changed from business consulting to semiconductors. He enjoyed a diverse and expansive career. He cultivated life-long friendships with many business colleagues.
Bob was an avid sportsman. He could be seen weekly running in the hills of Rancho San Antonio Park in preparation for his many races and eventual participation in the Honolulu Marathon. He loved downhill skiing, on his favorite mountain, Squaw Valley. He also enjoyed hiking and particularly delighted in circumnavigating the Tahoe Rim Trail. One of his memorable adventures was hiking the Tour Du Mont Blanc in Switzerland with his two buddies. Bob enjoyed adventure travel with his wife and friends here and abroad. Above all else, his love was Lake Tahoe. As he aged, he would attempt one slalom water ski event each summer. He did this into his 70s.
Throughout his life Bob supported the Jesuit educational institutions that shaped his intellectual and moral development. He was on the Board of Regents at Bellarmine College Prep and President of the Alumni Council. Following this he became a Trustee for Santa Clara University where he ran their capital campaign. Bob saw education as a way to improve the lives of those less fortunate, supporting the Jesuit Nativity School for middle-school children and Cristo Rey High School. He also served on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors.
Bob was a member of the Knights of Malta, a charitable organization which serves the poor and the sick in the community. The Knights are known for their annual pilgrimage to France, which accompanies the infirmed to Lourdes for healing. He also volunteered at Martha’s Kitchen and John XXIII.
Bob always greeted people with a warm smile which made others feel comfortable. He valued his life-long friendships with classmates at St. Leo’s, Bellarmine, and Santa Clara. To summarize Bob’s life, he was, in the Jesuit tradition “A Man for Others,” with his gracious, enthusiastic, thoughtful and loving way of working with others. He mentored many people and shared his professional expertise in fund development.
Bob leaves behind his wife, Carol, of 59 years, children William (Lauren), Steve(lucy), Carrie Lorton(john), and grandchildren Will, John, Sophie, Andrew, Olivia Peters, Katie and Kendall Lorton.
The family would like to thank staff of Kensington Place and Pathways Hospice for their loving care of Bob.
In lieu of flowers, please consider: Catholic Charities, 2625 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134 or Ignatian Scholarship (financial assistance for middle income students), Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino, Santa Clara, CA 95053.
Please view/sign guestbook: cusimanocolonial.com