Robert Elmo Lera

Bob Lera was born in Sacramento, CA, to Elmo Frank Lera and Mary Katherine Ban. He attended Holy Spirit Grammar School and Bishop Armstrong High School, graduating as valedictorian. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, with a minor in Latin, from St. Mary’s College in 1966. He settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, living in San Ramon, and later, Danville while working for Pacific Bell and California State University Hayward in Information Systems. Upon retirement, he moved to Virginia with his wife, Kay, where they operated a Bed and Breakfast, The White House on Jackson, for 10 years.

Bob enjoyed a variety of sports, playing basketball and golf as a youth, and learning to ski and play tennis as an adult. He closely followed his sons' pursuits of soccer, baseball, football, and track & field. He supported the Oakland Athletics, Oakland Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers. In Virginia, he enjoyed watching women’s basketball at Washington and Lee.

Bob was passionate about music. His interests ranged from the Beach Boys and bluegrass music to Creedence Clearwater Revival and opera. Although he wasn’t particularly gifted as a singer, he was quite enthusiastic- capable of taking an entire group off-key! He learned the guitar, so he could play his favorite songs by the Beatles, Jim Croce and Jimmy Buffet. In 2023, he fulfilled a dream of visiting Lucca, Italy, with his family- the birthplace of his grandparents and favorite composer, Giacomo Puccini.

Bob wasn’t much of a cook, but he enjoyed a good meal. He loved his mother’s pasta, deli sandwiches and Fritos corn chips. He enjoyed dining out, frequently ordering and thanking the servers in the language of the cuisine- often to humorous effect (“jalapeno medico”). He was a wine enthusiast- Lodi Zinfandel his favorite. He and Kay routinely hosted tastings in a cellar room in their home, where guests were challenged to guess the alcohol content of each wine.

Bob had a keen mind and attention for details. He had a passion for numbers, always keeping statistics for his sons’ youth sports teams. He traveled extensively and each trip was summarized in a meticulous “trip report” that included all expenses incurred. Maps of the visited cities, states, and countries were filed according to distance from Lexington. He enjoyed playing bridge with the Lexington Bridge Club. His analytical mind and penchant for agendas and spreadsheets served him well in his career and as a member of Lexington’s Rotary and City Council. If a meeting strayed off topic, he would silently work through his in-basket until others returned to the task at hand. Accomplishing goals was his priority. Bob was a man of his word- his friends always knew they could count on him in a time of need.

Bob possessed a big heart. Classmates and acquaintances remembered a warm and friendly smile. Bob wanted to know about people; he gave them his full attention. Hospice and cancer patients could rely on him for transportation to appointments. He was a devout catholic, never missing a Sunday at St. Patrick’s. He helped children learn to read as a literacy program tutor and taught financial skills to Habitat for Humanity applicants. He loved his garden. Holidays were special; he organized the Lexington Christmas parade for 7 years and decked out his house annually for Halloween, priding himself on how many kids visited and how much candy was distributed- he was a numbers guy.

Bob volunteered for Lime Kiln Theater and invited Senior students in Washington and Lee’s Music and Theater departments to his house for dinner at year’s end to celebrate their careers. The arts moved him; he wasn’t afraid to shed a tear for a poignant scene in a movie- Ray Kinsella playing catch with his father in Field of Dreams- or a rendition of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, Delibes’ Duo des Fleurs, Cohen’s Hallelujah, or Oh Shenandoah.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Kay. He also leaves a sister, Patty (husband Gerry), two sons, Marc (wife Susan) and Rob (wife Kay), two grandchildren, Bella and Pia, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life is being planned.

We will miss you dearly, Bob, but are comforted that you shared your wisdom, humor, and heart with us all.