Robert Cady

Robert L. Cady recently passed away 4 months short of his 98th birthday.

He was known to us as Daddy, Dad, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, and to his “other family” in Los Alamos as Grandpa Bob. He was a quiet, kind person with a subtle great sense of humor. Bob’s jokes were frequently made at the spur of the moment.

Robert was born in Brawley, California and worked on a farm with his family. He served in the Army in World War II, stationed in the Philippines. After the War, He met Drexel James of Laguna Beach, California and they were married in 1951. They began their married life in Brawley and had 3 children: Allan, Catherine, and Kent.

Bob moved the family up to Los Angeles so he could go back to school. He worked full time, attended classes full time, and studied at home standing up so he wouldn’t fall asleep. However, he found out that he could indeed fall asleep standing up! He received his master’s degree in Physics from UCLA.

In 1966 Bob got a Job working in the accelerator facility in Los Alamos and moved the family there. Los Alamos became their permanent home. They became faithful members of First Christian Church in Santa Fe and served in many positions there over the years.

  However, Bob never forgot California. Over the next several decades he put over 250,000 miles total on three different travel trailers visiting friends and family all up and down the west coast.

When Drexel’s health declined in the late 1990’s, he was her patient and faithful caregiver until her death in 2004. After her death, Bob still travelled to California every summer with his travel trailer until 2017. After that, Bob’s sons, Allan and Kent, would “Chauffer him around” from New Mexico to California and Oregon.

Bob was a dedicated genealogist, and amassed thousands of photographs, family letters, and family records to prove it. He was also a skilled cabinetmaker and carpenter, and several sets of his cabinets are still in use today. He was also an avid reader, especially of science fiction.

Most of all, Bob was a man of Integrity. He was honest and true to his word, and gave generously to his church, as well as several charities.

A memorial service will be held at first Christian Church, 645 Webber Street, Santa Fe on Saturday, April 9 at 11am.

Robert’s family asks instead of flowers, donations be made to the Betty Ehart Center, 1101 Bathtub Road, Los Alamos, NM 87544.