Deceased May 15, 2022
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In Memory
Bob passed away from cancer in May 2022 at his home in Viewpoint, Va., surrounded by his three children, Esther, Angus and Duncan. His wife, Barbara, predeceased him.
The son of Arthur Goldberg (who spoke at our graduation) and Dorothy Goldberg, Bob was born and raised in Chicago but later moved to D.C. and attended Woodrow Wilson High School. At Amherst, Bob wrote an honors thesis; worked on the Student, WAMH and Student Council; and was a member of Phi Alpha Psi.
After graduating, Bob attended the London School of Economics, where he met his future wife, Barbara Sproston, a native of Scotland. Next, he attended Harvard Law School (class of ’67), followed by a clerkship with the Honorable David Bazelon.
Then began a lengthy residence in Anchorage, Alaska, where he raised his family and worked in the newspaper industry and as an attorney. I had a delightful visit with Bob there.
After Alaska, Bob and Barbara moved to Virginia. Bob worked for years in D.C. as an attorney until he had heart valve surgery, which he barely survived, leaving him mentally and physically weakened. Nevertheless, he managed to recover sufficiently to practice law near his then residence in Viewpoint, Va.
About four years ago, I saw Bob for lunch at a restaurant near his hometown. He Bob was in good spirits, though he relied heavily on his son Duncan, who was living with him. Bob told me that Barbara had passed away. He also hinted that he had an upcoming appointment about a diagnosis of cancer, which ultimately took his life.
Bob had many friends in our class at Amherst, some of whom have predeceased him, and his humor and good company will be missed.
Chuck Mervis ’63