Robert Brandon
Robert C. “Bob” Brandon, 74, of Butler, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in the comfort of his home shared with his wife and golden retriever.
“A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted — mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more” — quote by Morgan Matson
Born Jan. 12, 1947, in Butler, and was the son of the late Dr. William Frank and Elva Jean (Shanor) Brandon. He spent the majority of his youth residing in the Meadowood neighborhood of Butler Township.
He was a 1964 graduate of Butler High School, remaining in close contact with fellow classmates, with faithful involvement in planning class reunions.
Following high school, he attended Penn Technical Institute to study broadcast electronics. He secured a job with WEEP radio in Pittsburgh, as chief engineer.
He is survived by his wife of almost 51 years, Charlotte M. (Rowley) Brandon, whom he married on Feb. 6, 1971; three daughters, Deanna (James) Herrle of Butler, Carla (Guillermo) Sanchez of Pittsburgh, and Amie (David) Hull of Cranberry Township; eight grandchildren, Emma, Ellie, Savannah and Naomi Herrle, Sofia and Evelyn Sanchez, and Abigail and Benjamin Hull; a brother, Ron Brandon and his wife, Joyce, of Valencia; a sister, Kathy Rogerson and her husband, Pete, of Butler; numerous nieces and nephews; and last but certainly not least, his beloved golden retriever of four years, Doc.
Bob was a proud member of his Butler community. He began his radio career at the old WBUT radio studio off McQuistion Road while a teenager, airing the Friday night Butler High football games in 1961. During the summer of 1963, leading into his senior year of high school, Bob had his own radio show on WBUT, playing the most popular music of the day. After his marriage, he relocated to Fort Wayne, Ind., working for WOWO radio and later purchasing WPGW radio in Portland, Ind. In 1978, he moved his young family back to the Butler community and purchased WBUT, which he owned and operated, along with WLER and WISR, until his retirement in 1997.
Bob spent time traveling the United States, visiting family and friends near and far, traveling to 49 of the 50 states, and making two road trips to Alaska, in 1997 and 2016. Many trips centered around the American Austin Bantam antique car club and Model T shows.
In 2002, he discovered a new hobby of soaring the skies in his powered parachute, taking aerial photos of the scenery below. In recent years, he most enjoyed RV trips with his wife. This past spring, he burst with excitement helping to restore the Jimmy Bashline Jay Bee miniature circus, bringing it back to Butler. He was currently in the midst of restoring his 1940 Bantam Roadster, as well as hand crafting wooden trophies shaped as the Butler Bantam building in great anticipation of the car show being held in Butler, summer of 2022.
“He will be greatly missed” isn't enough to express the deep void Bob's family is experiencing. He was a family man — funny, generous and kind. He delighted in genealogy and family history research. But most importantly, he was a constant in the daily lives of his wife, and his three daughters and their families. He was known as Pap-Pap to seven granddaughters and one grandson, who thought the world of him and his silliness and creativity. He was guilty of spoiling every golden retriever he owned over the past 30 years.
BRANDON — Arrangements of Robert C. “Bob” Brandon, who died Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, have been entrusted with Thompson-Miller Funeral Home of Butler.
A private burial will be held at Rose Hill Cemetery.
A celebration of life service is being planned for a future date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Butler County Humane Society, 1015 Evans City Road, Renfrew, PA 16053, or donor's choice of charity.
Online condolences may be made at www.thompson-miller.com.
