Robert "Bob" Adler

Robert William Adler was born November 9, 1937 in Hillsboro, Oregon, to William “Bill” E. and Orrice E. Adler. He was raised on the Adler fruit farm on David Hill, northwest of Forest Grove, Oregon, with his brother James Adler. He graduated from Forest Grove High School in 1955, and from University of Oregon in 1959. He was a skilled French horn player, and chose to study Economics. He spent a year in England, at the University of Manchester, then did graduate work at University of Oregon, culminating in a PhD after his mother allegedly threatened to shoot his graduate advisor. He taught at the University of British Columbia from 1964-1966. 

He subsequently joined the US Foreign Service as a Program Economist for USAID. At his first post in Santiago, Chile, he met Constance Louise Herz and they bonded over their reasons for joining the Foreign Service. They were married at Stanford University Chapel in Palo Alto, California, in 1968. Their children, William Christopher and Julia Elizabeth, were born in 1972 and 1975 respectively.

Bob’s work took him and his family many places between 1968 and 1991: Paraguay, Peru, Virginia, Costa Rica, and Egypt. During that time, the family had two dogs, two cats, three parrots, two hamsters, one turtle, 9 rabbits, pigeons, and fish. Most of those were “over (his) dead body,” yet he outlived them all. After 25 years at USAID, Bob retired and the family moved to Sunnyvale, California. There, he became an avid tomato farmer, handyman, and member of the Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church. He was a pivotal organizing force for his wife, who pursued elementary school teaching once he retired. In 2015, they both moved to Santa Cruz, to be closer to his son’s family.

Bob got his quietness and kindness from his father Bill Adler, and his sense of humor from his mother, Orrice Adler, of Forest Grove Oregon. His life was defined by acts of service. He had a love of trains, growing vegetables, being a font of history, enjoyed both classical and marching band music, and good meals with his family. 

Robert passed on October 1, 2025 at Santa Cruz Dominican Hospital after a short illness in the most efficient way possible: a heart attack. Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life event, to occur on Saturday, March 14th at 11AM, at Roaring Camp Railroad, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA.

Survivors include wife Connie Adler, their two children and their spouses, William “Chris” & Jacqueline Adler of Santa Cruz, California and Julia “Joule” Adler & Chris Venter, of Brisbane, California; three grandchildren, William “Liam” (19), Chiara (16), and Gabriel (13); beloved brother, Jim and wife Betty, of Anchorage, Alaska; nieces and nephews, Kevin, Colleen, Kerry, Kay, Kurt, Kristine, Hilary, Brendan, and Evan.   We miss him dearly.

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