Bob Haynes, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and son, passed away at his home in Evergreen, Colorado on September 25th at the age of 67, three months after a kidney cancer diagnosis and a valiant fight. He lived a life of strength, humor, and curiosity, a sense of adventure and an unwavering devotion to those he loved.
He was a man of ideas as much as action: a humanist who read widely, questioned deeply, and welcomed thoughtful conversation. He believed in empathy, in listening more than speaking, and in engaging respectfully with people of every perspective. His advice, whether about work, relationships, or life’s turns, was always offered with patience, humor, and care.
Strong in body and spirit, he could often be found tackling projects around the house or playing with the grandkids. He was a craftsman, a builder, and a problem-solver who refused to cut corners, teaching by example that if it was worth doing, it was worth doing right. His sense of humor was legendary within his family; his quick puns, dad jokes, and frequent emails filled with memes softened hard edges and made everyday life brighter.
Adventure ran through his veins. His offroading Jeep rides spanned from Illinois backcountry in his 20s to chasing ghost towns in Colorado’s high country in his 60s. From exploring remote corners of Mexico, the western US, and Canada to trips through Europe, he thrived on the open road (and even converted a van into a home for extended trips with his wife Jo, before eventually buying a camper). He built his family’s love of camping with a cross-country ‘lets learn how to camp’ trip in the early 1990s guided by a dog-eared book of “$5 Campsites,” complete with moose chases, snowstorms, ‘dirty water’, and hacky sacks accidentally kicked into firepits. That spirit built over the years and resulted in multi-generational camping trips that included four generations together- and continued as recently as this summer in Yosemite. Through his exploration, he inspired the rest of his family.
However, home was the center of his world. He and his wife Jo Ann shared over four decades of marriage, filled with deep partnership, laughter, and late-night talks in the hot tub while scanning Colorado skies for comets. He cared for his parents by uprooting his and Jo’s life in Canada and moving to Colorado to take care of his parents, engaging his full family into remodeling his garage into a home for them. Bob also delighted in raising a family of strong-willed adventurers (who followed Phish, participated in adventure racing, and traveled solo internationally) who were independent but always returned home to gather as a family. He often said he was “living the dream” because his parents, children, and grandchildren could share holidays and weekends together at his home in Colorado.
He loved fiercely and played wholeheartedly. He was a favorite target in competitive family water gun battles (until he bought an electric water gun to fight back) and was highly regarded for his homemade ice cream recipes, let alone pancakes or filets. Whether steering a speedboat with grandkids clinging to tubes (or hanging on for dear life himself while his son-in-law steered), cheering from the sidelines while his kids navigated life challenges and his grandkids participated in sporting events, or simply listening when someone was down, he gave his family his time, encouragement, and unwavering love.
He also believed in giving back beyond his family. A steadfast advocate for democracy and human rights, he worked the voting booths, wrote letters to his representatives, and laid floors at the local food bank. He lived by principle, believing optimism must be paired with action, and kindness with commitment.
He is survived by his wife, Jo; his mother, Dottie; his children, Stacy (Sonny), Amy (Charles), and Jesse; his grandchildren, Shaela, Santiago, Marcelo, Mikaela, and Mackenzie; and his faithful granddogs, Max and Kimber. He was respected, admired, and loved by all who knew him, and his legacy will live on in the laughter, adventures, and kindness he inspired.