Robert Arthur Ginskey

Life Tribute

 In Loving Memory of Robert Arthur Ginskey

February 11, 1943 – October 22, 2026

Resident of Lakeport, California

Robert “Bob” Ginskey, 83, of Lakeport, California, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family, on October 22, 2026, after a 14-year battle with cancer.

Bob was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on February 11, 1943, and enjoyed an idyllic childhood filled with many memorable adventures, including building rockets, riding his horse Ginger, raising a pig, boating and water skiing on the Mississippi River, conducting science experiments in his basement, and playing numerous pranks on family and friends. He loved classical music and was an accomplished pianist. He attended La Crosse Central High School, where he particularly excelled in science. During his senior year, Bob won first place at the Wisconsin State Junior Academy Science Fair with his project, “The Theory and Application of an Electron-Proton Electrostatic Linear Particle Accelerator,” for which he received a full college scholarship. Bob also excelled in speech, debate, and journalism, winning multiple American Legion Oratorical contests, and serving as both managing editor of his school newspaper and Central High reporter for the La Crosse Tribune. Bob attended Wisconsin State University, La Crosse, studying Analytical Chemistry, and twice received a summer assistantship at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois. He also joined the University chess team, and was University Chess Champion in 1965. Upon graduation, Bob was awarded a full fellowship for advanced studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

During his first year at Purdue, Bob met fellow student Margaret Wagner, and in 1966 they married. Two years later they moved to Southern California, where they settled in Pasadena and had three wonderful children. Bob taught Chemistry and Astronomy at Ambassador College in Pasadena for several years, and wrote numerous articles for The Plain Truth magazine. He also had a short story published in Sky Worlds science fiction magazine in 1978. In his free time, Bob enjoyed the outdoors with his young family, especially camping, hiking, and attending the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. In 1979, the family moved to a small ranch in Mendocino County, California, where they kept ponies and chickens, and enjoyed boating on Lake Mendocino. Bob loved the clean air, beautiful scenery, slower pace of life, and began working for a local real estate firm. A few years later, he and Margaret decided to part ways, but remained devoted and dedicated parents. In 1983, Bob met the love of his life, Sharon Witham, in Lakeport, California, who he described as “the best thing to ever happen to me.” He spent the next 42 years exploring the world with her, including trips to China, Africa, Turkey, Russia, Europe, Australia, India, and Cambodia. In 1985, he obtained his California broker’s license and followed in his father’s footsteps, establishing his own real estate company, Lake County Properties, which specialized in custom-built homes on the hills above Clear Lake. When Bob wasn’t working or exploring the world with Sharon and his children, he loved to play tennis and racquetball, and won numerous local tournaments.

Bob was deeply loved and respected by his family, friends, neighbors, and business associates. A child at heart, his energy and capacity for fun and adventure knew no bounds, and his laughter was truly contagious. In his later years, his passions included his children and grandchildren, travel, concerts and shows, classical music, politics, fireworks, biking, boating, river rafting, camping, hiking, cats, wood-stove fires, and credit card travel rewards programs. He enjoyed pizza, root beer, margaritas, and milkshakes. He would never turn down Cheetos, salted nuts, or free samples at Costco. He was thoughtful, resourceful, kind, generous, helpful, and loving. He could fix just about anything, loved puzzles and brain-teasers, wrote many letters to the editor for the local paper and his sesquipedalian proclivities were legendary. His book of childhood stories brings joy, laughs, and lessons to his readers. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Mary; his beloved partner, Sharon Witham; and his siblings, John Ginskey and Sybil Smith. He lives on in the hearts of those he leaves behind, including his loving sister, Margery Graybar; Margaret (Wagner) Patton, the mother of his children; his children, Sarah Anne, Mary Elizabeth, and David Robert (and wife Michelle); and his five precious grandsons, Ethan, Andrew, Owen, Zachary, and Nicholas.

Memorial services will be held in Lakeport, California.