November 27, 1943 – April 26, 2026

Bob was born in Buffalo, New York where he learned at an early age to shovel snow. His family moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania and Bob’s work ethic continued to build by removing snow with a garden tractor for his family and neighbors. In the summer, Bob worked at a dairy farm, for $1 per hour and all the chocolate milk he could drink!

At age 13, Bob left home to become a cadet at Valley Forge Military Academy. He became an expert marksman, good wrestler, amazing mathematician and a leader. As a Captain of a large company, Bob demonstrated his leadership skills on the honor council and speaking in Chapel. Bob’s family was very proud of his speaking ability, especially when President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Chapel one Sunday.

Bob went onto Pittsburgh to study electrical engineering at Carnegie Tech University. He joined the Sigma Nu fraternity and was famous for his two channel stereo set up in the Frat house – with one room with “make out music” and one room for dancing. He celebrated his 60th class reunion in Pittsburgh just 2 weeks prior to his passing.

Bob came to California after college and went to work for Fairchild Semiconductor. The technology race was on in Silicone Valley and Bob had meteoric success in engineering, sales and management. Bob’s career eventually took him to Los Angeles where he joined Control Data Corporation and met Maureen McCann. Bob and Mo’s love affair grew into a storybook romance that took them to Marin County where their son Justin was born and then to Roseville where sister, Chelsea was born. Bob and Mo started Digital Communications, a business telephone company with 52 employees. Digital installed phone systems for the California State Senate, the California Farm Bureau and all the Sears Stores in the Sacramento area.

Bob had boats since he was 8 years old, and loved nothing more than spending time on the water with family and friends. His last boat, Loki, motored to Alaska in 2017 and 2023 and always had a crew of his favorite people that spent a week aboard. Bob flew small airplanes for 46 years and helped to start the Truckee Chapter of Los Medicos Voladares – The Flying Doctors. In 2002 Bob carried the Olympic Torch in honor of his LMV friends who perished in Mexico on their way to volunteer health services.

Bob and Mo bought Clayborn Lab in 1989, a manufacturer of electrical resistance heat tape used in NASA’s satellite technology. He used to say that Clayborn was Truckee’s “largest aerospace company”. Their lifelong dream of building a log home brought them to Truckee in 1994, where the children grew up to graduate from Truckee High School. Bob got back to his roots of removing snow and building fires for winter warmth. He is survived by his wife, Mo, sister Diane Cody of Lacey, Washington, his son Justin, daughter-in-law Amy, grandkids Harper and Hudson Horvath, daughter Chelsea Roth, her husband Steven and their children Evelyn and Henry.

Bob liked to say as he grew older that he didn’t have a bucket list of things he hadn’t done, he had a logbook of all the things he did do! Bob never stopped exploring, building, boating, laughing and loving, Bob’s logbook of life was legendary.

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution in Bob’s memory to the Los Medicos Voladares (The Flying Doctors) PO Box 1465 Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. Contact 415-548-1615 or go to https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/2187094.

A Celebration of Life event will be held in the fall. If you are interested in attending please email roberthorvathmemorial@gmail.com to receive details.