Robert “Bob” G. Herriot passed away at the age of 80 years, at home in Palo Alto with family after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Bob, the eldest of four children, was born in the old Palo Alto Hospital, on June 10, 1943 to Sally and Jack Herriot.
He attended Crescent Park Elementary, Jordan (now Greene) Middle School, and Palo Alto High School. He then attended Stanford, where he studied mathematics and used early computer systems to orchestrate card stunts at football games. He went on to the University of Wisconsin in Madison to earn a Ph.D. in computer science. His time in Wisconsin reinforced his love of Palo Alto’s weather, which he thought was the best in the world. He spent the early part of his career teaching computer science at the University of Washington in Seattle, then moved back to Palo Alto, where he worked as a software engineer at several startups as well as long established local companies.
Bob loved to travel. As a child, his family took long road trips during summer vacations, and he spent his junior year of college in Grenoble, France during his father’s sabbatical there. As a young man in the 1970’s, he traveled through the old Soviet Union with his brother and sister-in-law, and later took a two-month trip around the world by himself. When he saw something lovely in art and textiles, he made a purchase and shipped it home.
He was a superb teacher for his family, like his parents before him. He loved music, design, language, construction (later remodeling the family home), and much more. But his favorite endeavor of all was marriage (Pat in 1983) and family life (kids Jennie in 1984 and Nick in 1988). He loved family life, learning, and travel. One of many highlights was taking 10-year-old Jennie to Europe on business in 1994, and later taking whole family trips all over the US and Europe to see the sights and visit family and friends. In more recent years he delighted in the arrivals of our three grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his wife, Pat Landman-Herriot; daughter Jennie Herriot-Hatfield (Chris) and their three children; son Nick Herriot (Nina) of Cheney Washington; his sister Jean Emans (John) and brothers Jim and John Herriot; Maren and Bobby and numerous nieces and nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his parents Jack and Sally Herriot and nephew David Mayorga Hernandez Herriot.
The family would like to thank his caregivers and medical teams, Felicia, Desire, and Michelle Tatakamotonga, Bradford Duncan MD Internal Medicine, Diana Blum MD Neurology; and the agency team from 24/Seven including Emery, Iris, Argie, Elmira, Cesar, and Ron. We would also like to thank Craig Cady and the Sage Senior Solutions teams, and the Sutter Palliative Care and Hospice teams.
Private burial services have been held. Memorial services are scheduled for 11:30am on Saturday, June 15th at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, 505 E Charleston Rd. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider donating to a cause that was meaningful to Bob: Parkinson’s research, Bay Area Opera companies (West Bay Opera, Opera San Jose, San Francisco Opera), San Francisco Public Schools (SF Parent Coalition, SF Education Fund, Spark * SF Public Schools), and the Palo Alto History Museum.