Bob Kanarr was another classmate from my neighborhood that I didn’t meet until Edison. We were in the same section in 7th grade and had a few other classes together through our senior year. Bob was always quiet and reserved, like most of us; though I think he was more himself with the guys. My fondest memory of Bob has nothing to do with school and was the last time I saw him about thirty two years ago. I was a single mother, with a six-month baby boy. All of you who are mothers understand how i t is with your first child, you spend most of your day taking care of and talking to this child, who cannot talk back to you; that was my life at that time. I was finally able to get cable TV where I was living; there were so many people who wanted it that I had to wait over a week for the service to be hooked up. When my turn came and I heard the knock on the door, I was surprised to see Bob. We both still looked as we did when we graduated, so it was instant recognition. He came into the apartment and completed the inside work before completing the outside. When he came back up for me to sign the paperwork, we sat at my kitchen table for two people and began to talk. We talked about what we’d done since graduation, including our funny mistakes. He stayed for about two hours. He didn’t have to do that; he could have just left after I signed the paperwork.

Bob took time from his schedule to talk to a classmate who had very little adult conversation in over six months. That was how Bob was, and I am grateful that I have this beautiful memory of him, though I am sad that I didn’t find out about his passing until our 35th reunion.

Debbie (Hall) Palmer