LARRY

      I have many joyful memories of Bobby. Everying from his intolerance to milk but tolerance to chocolate milk, the best playroom in Hazleton, where I would visit like going to Disneyland. The love and attention of Lilly, Sid, the energetic sister, Suzie, but mostly the greatness and love of the Klemow clan. I remember the wonderful attentiveness bobby provided bubby when she needed help most. He continues to bring our love to Doug and others whom we miss. Bobby is our surrogate, who acts with the love and attentiveness we wish we could provide but feel he delivers what is needed as if we are there.

      Bobbby is the shepherd for the strays, both people and cats. He is the king of scuba, emails, images, and the master of family history. Bobby, you are as good a soul as god could make. we are all thankful for being part of the family which has you as a member.

      Happy birthday and soory we can't be with you.

Great love,

Sherry and Larry Kline

San Diego

SOPHIE

      My favorite memories of your dad seem to consistently involve water/pools. He never forgets to pack his scuba mask and even has his flippers at times. I always look forward to seeing him in the pool.

      Happy Birthday Scuba Bob!

      Hope you're well.

Love,

Sophie

Washington

SUSIE

      Bobby and I were almost 4 years apart in age, so I really never felt any sibling rivalry. Just the regular brother/sister nonsense of fighting in the back seat of the car on long trips, like on the way to Miami Beach counting Stuckey or Horne signs for 3 long days driving , or at the drive-in movies when our parents would put us in pajamas and then into the back seat to go to sleep while they watched the movies.

      We were always dressed as Haman and Queen Esther at Purim and Bobby was guaranteed to do his silly dance in front of the camera for every holiday home movie.

      As we grew into adults he faced all challenges in his life with great gusto. While he would have loved to play sports, his knees failed him and not everyone can be Donovan Mcnabb, so he learned to play tennis and become an avid scuba diver. Diving became such a passion and his underwater photography is breathtaking. He wasn't real happy with how our government was run so off to Israel to a different kind of life. When that was no longer an option he returned and became a teacher and started molding young peoples lives.

      He has always been a wonderful loving son ,and terrific father to Dara, John and Chaim. His life was so enricheed when he met and married Laurie. He had a new love for animals especially those beautiful cats. He has traveled the world doing what he loved most, diving. He has always had a deep love for his family, especially his grandparents which we were so fortunate to grow up with right in the same town. And his cousins, aunts, uncles and even his sister!

      I have always admired and respected his brilliant mind and his knowledge of electronics and computers. I have also always admired and respected Bobby as a person. He is so kind, caring and so very generous with his time, and with himself. We never say these things enough. I want Bobby to know I love him very much and look forward to good years ahead.

I love you,

Susie

St. Petersburg

DAD

      He knew his own mind from age 10 on.

      He liked to be surrounded by friends who were not millionaires! He was brought up primarily by his mother and Josephine. He never asked for anything , especially money. He was very idealistic and was never happy with the government when he grew into college age.

      He loved Israel and being a farmer and probably would have stayed there if not for family issues. He was a better teacher than a camp counselor!

      His life became so much better and fulfilling when meeting and marrying Laurie.

      I am very proud of him and love him very much.

Dad

Pompano

JANIE and BRUCE

      Happy, happy, happy birthday!!! I cannot believe you're sixty, especially since I used to be just a few years younger than you, but now realize I must be many years younger than you.

      Dara asked if I can recall some memories I have of you. Two came to mind; one old one and one more recent.

      When I was looking into taking the SAT's for college, my mother shared a story about you (in the hope I would study very hard for the exam). She told me that you were an average to above average student in high school. When it came time to apply for college though, you scored extremely high on the SAT's. Because your high school grades were not reflective of your SAT scores, they had you re-take them. Again, you scored very, very well and ended up going to Tufts (an outstanding school). Is it true? I never knew if it was a ploy or a true story.

      The more recent story I want to remind you of is when you were visiting here in Las Vegas. After we went to an afternoon magic show, I received a call on my cell phone from Chaim. He had been searching for you because he received a call that someone found your wallet. You went into your pocket and confirmed your wallet was missing. Someone found it in the Men's Room (where you were prior to the show). As our phones were off during the show, noone could reach you and the people who found your wallet went on from Harrah's to the Stratosphere. We drove up the strip and eventually located these wonderful people who found your wallet. It was an uplifting experience to know that there are good, honest people in this world who certainly went out of their way to locate you. It also reminds us that as we get older, we need to take extra precautions to insure we do not lose our wallet in public bathrooms!!!

      Happy 60th!!

All our love.

Janie and Bruce

Henderson, NV

JODI

      My favorite memories of him are from when I was a little girl - and I would come over to your house and he would show me videos of his scuba-diving journeys and I would play with all of the cats...feeding them little pieces of ham =) I remember sleeping over your house one night with you there - and uncle bobby was showing us pictures for hours from all of his trips. I can remember his loud laughter - it is extremely memorable.

      Overall - Uncle Bobby is one of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met. He always has a positive spirit and a giving heart - and I feel blessed to be his neice. I only wish we got to see more of each other.

Love to all,

Jodi Berman Sonenshine =)

Atlanta

DVORAH

      Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov, Bobby! I wish I was there with you. From my earliest memories of you I can only recall the great love of life you exude! Always fiercely passionate, even in matters that make you angry. You throw yourself into things. Live with intensity! Your indelible stamp on every family Simcha is dancing the "kazazky" with David -- whirling and until recently, squatting down.... your devotion to all of us-- your unending care of Tanta Lilly -- the day we spent with her in the Old Age Home, I will never forget how you fed her, with the tenderest mercy. And you walked with her around and around the hall. And later that day r was it the morning? You watched me at my mother's grave but you didn't tell me you were watching. You were too compassionate to tell. With this sensitivity you have defined your life. And I love you for it.

May G-d Bless You and Everyone you Love,

Your cousin, Dvorah and Mazal Tov from Joseph, Rebecca, Naomi, Shira and Ben! B'Shalom U'B'vracha!

Manhattan

DARA

      Kind, loving, Generous with a capital G, always there no matter what. Whether happy, sad, or indifferent, he is always there with an ear to lend. He always listens and gives advice, never taking a side. He lets you be who you want to and need to be.

      My memories:

      SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!! My Dad used to let me sit on his lap in the car and steer the wheel from Wilkes-Barre to Hazleton and vice versa. He had the patience to teach me how to drive; (I gave up when it came t stick shifts.)

      How about our trip to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with John and Alan. We took my Grandfather's old cadillac, which was ready to be given away. We weren't quite sure it would make it to Ohio. It made it, but we had to put towels in the windows on the way home, because the windows wouldn't go up.

      What about our trip to Long Island when the brakes went on the Long Island Expressway, on our way to a family affair, but we made it. My dad finds a way to accomplish anything.

      Dad, I know I don't say it enough, but you are the BEST DAD I could ask for. Thank you for always being there.

I love you,

Dara

Hazleton

Esther Z

      To my beloved cousin Bobby on your 60th birthday- “Bobinu” Whenever I think of you I hear our dear late grandmother, may her name be for a blessing, Bubby, calling you endearingly. I see you playing with David in the backyard of your home on Fern Street with housekeeper Geraldine in toe and your dear late mom, Tanta Lilly, may her name be fore a blessing, cooking up some delicious treat for us kids in the kitchen, as I amuse myself inside playing with Susie with all of her toys or trying on her clothes. We had so much fun visiting your house and partying at family simchas over the years. I pray we can continue to share the joyous moments of each other’s lives for at least another 60 years, to fulfill the Yiddish Prophecy, “you should live to a svinig and svansik”

Much love and mazal tov.

Cousin Esther and Richard, Sosha, Max and Johanna and Zev.

West Palm Beach

CHAIM

      When I was a kid, I... was a picky eater.

      Not just a little. Very very picky. My grandma once made me vegetable soup, but it had a red broth, so I thought it was tomato soup, which I didn't like, and I refused to eat it – apparently, I'm told, I loudly declared, "I DON'T LIKE RED SOUP!"

      As George Carlin once said, "picky eater" is a euphemism for "huge pain in the ass."

      So one day, when I'm, I dunno, maybe five or six, my dad gives me a banana to eat. This should have been fine. I'd had bananas before. I liked bananas.

      I opened up the banana, which was going a bit brown and spotted, and saw something I'd never seen before. A soft, brownish, discolored area on the side of the fruit itself. It's just a bit over-ripe. But I'd never seen that before. I had no idea if it was even safe to eat. Maybe it was spoiled. And I pointed to it and asked my dad, "What IS this?"

      Now, the founder of my theater company here in Los Angeles once wrote an essay about becoming a father. About not knowing day to day what bits of advice and guidance are will be forgotten, and what will last a lifetime. It's totally random. You never know what will actually penetrate a kid's noggin on any given day. You never know when they're actually paying attention. You never know what they're actually going to remember. My dad sighed at my question about the banana and looked a bit annoyed. He no doubt thought I was about to raise holy hell and refuse to eat it. But without batting an eye, he answered, "Vitamins." This answer COMPLETELY satisfied me. I ate the banana and enjoyed the heck out of it – especially the soft, mushy "vitamins." An answer given quickly, effortlessly; a potentially difficult situation with a difficult kid averted with just one word, in a single moment that was no doubt forgotten by the next day. To this day, when I eat a brown, spotted banana, I still love the "vitamins."

Chaim

Sherman Oaks, CA

Hazleton, PA

March 2, 2008

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