Obituary of Robert Arthur Lesch

Robert Lesch, a longtime lab manager at UC Berkeley, died in a motorcycle accident on July 11, at age 62. Bob leaves behind his wife, Kimberley Moore, and a daughter, Kristina Lesch. Bob was born in Waterloo, Iowa. After excelling in chemical engineering at Iowa State University, he was accepted into a PhD program at UC Berkeley. After two years, he went to work as a lab technician in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; spent two years teaching math in the Peace Corps in Belize; went back to work in the department; and spent most of his career as Lab Manager for Dr. Randy Schekman at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Cal. Bob’s love for the outdoors led him on many hikes, bike rides, and motorcycle trips on scenic roads. His flower photography was well-known among his friends, and his knowledge of plant names was encyclopedic. He regularly hiked on Mount Diablo, which kept him in shape to hike the Grand Canyon with his daughter a few years ago. Bob’s other talents included music; he played in a jazz band in college and sang with the Cal Alumni Chorus for many years. He had worked and hiked in Chile with a colleague and friend, and was studying to improve his knowledge of Spanish. Bob was a gentle man with a warm smile and a quiet sense of humor. Tributes from his colleagues, friends and family spoke of his kindness, patience, cheerfulness, and readiness to help everyone who needed his calm, capable presence. As well as his wife and daughter, Bob is survived by his mother-in-law; a sister, Ruth Harkin and four brothers, Conrad, Edward, David and Charles; and their families; and many friends and colleagues who will miss him very much. His family will celebrate his life privately. Arrangements entrusted to Oroville Funeral Home (530)533-0323.