Robert L. Lavoie
May 02, 1951 - August 09, 2017
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Robert L. Lavoie
May 02, 1951 - August 09, 2017
Obituary
ROBERT LOUIS LAVOIE, our beloved Bob, left us too soon on Wednesday, August 9, 2017. Born on May 2, 1951, to Maurice Emil Lavoie and Evelyn Terese Grondin, Bob had a very mobile upbringing and lived on Air Force bases from coast to coast. He was lucky enough to spend a majority of his childhood at Hickam Airforce Base on Oahu, Hawaii. Bob served as student body president of Radford High School, and then attended University of Hawaii. Bob told many stories of his work as a cameraman for KHON, the Honolulu NBC affiliate, throughout that period.
In 1972, Bob met the love of his life, his beloved Pam, on a blind date where they sailed to Na Mokulua, two islets off the windward coast of Oahu. It was love at first sight. Bob married Pamela Jean Clark aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. After moving from Hawaii to the mainland Bob worked as a cameraman for KOCE, the PBS affiliate in Orange County. He put himself through law school and graduated from Western State College of Law.
Bob practiced law for forty years in Orange County, most of those as a partner with Lavoie & Jarman in Anaheim. He took great pride in serving as General Counsel for Willdan Group, Inc., where he loved not only his job but the people he worked with for thirty seven years. Bob was a forty year member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Anaheim (KCGA) and served multiple terms as Club President and President of the KCGA Scholarship Foundation. Bob also served for over thirty years on the board of RIO, the Rehabilitation Institute of Southern California.
Bob and Pam were blessed with two beautiful girls, Michelle Marie LaVoie Wisniewski and Anne-Marie LaVoie Wilhelm, who in turn blessed them with five grandchildren: Cecilia, Alina, Maya, Elizabeth, and Jakub. He was a wonderful father-in-law to Jason and Kuba and a loving father to multiple cocker spaniels. Bob was witty, intelligent, and most of all good looking. He loved life, especially weekends with his family around the BBQ and in the swimming pool.
Bob was affectionately known as the “Kahuna” because of his gentle soul, wisdom, sense of fun, and outpouring of love for others. Devotion to family was at his heart’s core. His family responded in kind by worshiping the ground he walked on. The world will never be the same without the twinkle in his eyes. To our dearest husband, father, brother, grandfather, Uncle and friend – ALOHA!
The Celebration of Life will be held at The OC Mining Company August 16, 2017 at 12:00pm.
The Lavoie family has requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the KCGA Scholarship Fund, PO Box 53, Anaheim, CA 92815, 714-225-7745.
Share your favorite memories of Bob through his online memorial: https://www.oconnormortuary.com/obituaries/Robert-Lavoie-2/#!/TributeWall.
22 responses to Robert L. Lavoie
Anne-Marie says:
August 21, 2017
1 file added to the tribute wall
Anne-Marie says:
August 21, 2017
1 file added to the tribute wall
Dan Clark says:
August 21, 2017
What can I say except that I still cannot believe that Bob is gone. Bob was larger than life to me personally. He assumed many roles in my life (father, brother, uncle, & friend) and I’m really going to miss my pal. The world is worse off without Bob in it.
Pam & Bob would refer to me as KIT. This is an acronym for Kahuna In Training. At Bob’s funeral Anne-Marie said to me, “Well you’re the Kahuna now Danny.” I am flattered to be next in line. However, there is only one Kahuna in my opinion and he is gone.
Long live Robert Lavoie!
Rest in Peace Kahuna,
Danny (K.I.T.)
Daniel Chow says:
August 22, 2017
The last few days in the office have been difficult since hearing the news of Bob Lavoie’s passing. I used to go into Bob’s office almost every day, seated on the left guest chair in front of his desk, as we talked about company business and life. I talked to Bob more often than most others at Willdan, and was always appreciative to get his advice and perspectives. Our conversations could last five minutes or half an hour.
Especially critical were the last seven years, when Bob and I worked together to resolve several major litigations at Willdan. A few years ago, a former city employee filed a lawsuit against Willdan and the City without any merit, hoping to score monetary gain through a settlement. Bob devised an offensive strategy that forced the city employee to settle for $0. I learned a lot from Bob on this case and others.
Many of those who knew and respected Bob had never met him in person. For the past six years, staff in Northern California worked closely with Bob on many subcontracts, completing all their contractual consultations over the phone. After they heard the news last week, they were shocked and expressed the same comment’that they all enjoyed working with such a good, practical lawyer who put them at ease. I already miss going into Bob’s office talk about work, about our bad knees, about family, about grandchildren, and about life. The face of Willdan has changed forever, after 37 years of his dedicated commitment to the company, and life without Bob will be a big adjustment for me.
Daniel Chow
Anne-Marie says:
August 24, 2017
This is an extremely painful loss. Today was a difficult day. I could not have had a better father, and for that I am truly grateful. I just wish I had him for many more years. It hurts.