Robert N. Eustis, age 76, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2010, in Glendale, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

“Bob” was born on April 21, 1934, to Bert and Edith Eustis and was raised in the small town of Grandview, Idaho. Moving to Sacramento, California in 1941, he spent the war years saving tin foil, squeezing Oleo in plastic bags, buying weekly war bond savings stamps and writing letters to soldiers overseas. In 1946, right after the war, Bob’s father relocated to Pfungstadt, Germany, where he worked as Cable Editor of the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes. Bob was twelve years old at the time, and his playground was burned out railroad cars, tanks, downed airplanes and war-torn bunkers. He used to say, with some amazement in his voice, “It is a miracle that I have all my limbs, given all the ammunition and ordinance that I found and played with.”

Returning to the U.S. in 1950, he lived in Buffalo, New York for a year and then headed west where his father landed a job with the Stockton Record.

Bob graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1956 with a degree in History. Following a three year tour in the U.S. Army (Fort Polk, LA), he returned to Stockton where he taught for fourteen years. It was during this time he received a Master’s Degree from the University of the Pacific. Bob then served as an elementary principal for 28 years, leading three of his schools to become schools of national distinction.

As a teacher and administrator Bob also reflected on the stories told by his grandmother and began to be an active teller of stories, first in the schools and then throughout the community. He hosted “Storyman,” a children’s weekly TV show, for over three years. Bob was a founding member of the San Joaquin Storytellers Guild and was a frequent visitor to schools where he told stories in classrooms. He was a popular public speaker and Master of Ceremonies. He also offered classes in “The Art of Storytelling” and was involved as a storyteller with University of the Pacific’s “Stockton Speaks” project. He especially enjoyed speaking to senior citizens where he encouraged the telling of family lore, because traditions, heritage, customs and history are woven together through stories.

Following his retirement in 1994, Bob’s life followed some amazing twists and turns. He and his wife, Mary Jo, led over 23 tour groups to Europe. Retirement didn’t slow him down. In addition to the traveling, Bob continued to serve as a substitute principal for various districts throughout San Joaquin County.

While in Stockton, Bob was actively involved in Quail Lakes Baptist Church where he served as the Adult Trip Coordinator for the Senior Ministry.

After moving to Glendale, Missouri, he became actively involved in Community Covenant Church in Kirkwood where he served in several leadership roles. His robust sense of humor continued to bless all who knew him in all his many activities and roles.
He was infamous for calling people on the telephone using various accents and dialects. He was an avid photographer and stamp collector.

Bob was an educator and life-long learner, a storyteller and a traveler, but above all, he was a gregarious man of character who loved and served God, family and friends wholeheartedly and lived life to the fullest.

He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Mary Jo. He is also survived by his three children, Michael Eustis (Stockton, CA), Jeffrey Eustis (Washougal, WA), Sara-Jane Johnson (Stockton, CA), and two step-children, Carolyn “Casey” Curtis Smith (Alameda, CA) and Sean Curtis (San Francisco, CA). Bob and Mary Jo have seven grandchildren: Ashley Jane Eustis, Taylor Jane Kelley, Jordan Alexandra Smith, Sean Padraic Eustis, Rebecca Frances Smith, Meryn Grace Curtis and Lyvia Hope Curtis.

A memorial service was held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 26, 2010 at Community Covenant Church at 777 W. Adams Avenue, Kirkwood, MO 63122. A burial memorial service will be held in Stockton, California, date to be announced.

Memorials may be made to: St John’s Mercy Hospital Hospice, Des Peres, MO, and the Gladys Bernard School of Education, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA.