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A LIFE CELEBRATION

June 3, 2026 by

Remember the guy who took shooting pool to a whole ‘nother level?
Who knew where to find a good table and fifty cent beers?
That was Rob Brown in Eugene when we went to UofO.
While he had a drive to succeed, he knew how to take a break.
In that sense he was a host who understood how to pull people together.
From house parties in high school to house mates in college to marriages and kids and sports and dance he was a witness to growing up together.
His wedding day was a road trip to Eugene for an evening ceremony that could have been from a movie with his beautiful bride reflected in his beaming face.
If you ever seen someone over-the-top happy on their wedding day, it was Rob and Lisa. They were giddy.
I’ve been to weddings, but theirs had a contagion of fun when the reception party moved out of town.
A wedding can be a party, and ‘honest to God I don’t want to miss it kind of party?’ Yes, it can.
And that was a theme Rob and Lisa carried through their years together.
The usual things took on an extra sparkle with them.
They were a couple who organized what felt like events.
If you’ve been to catered parties then you know.
When the Browns opened their house to their friends and neighbors it included deliciousness and an easy familiarity.
I’ve called them the Glue Couple, the people at the center connecting a group of friends.
Together they’ve given so many great memories over the years, and it’s been a few.
The trips to Central Oregon for the Big Red Memorial Golf Tournament; watching football, wrestling, dance; watching the kids grow up, get married, and meeting the grandkids made the circle of life real.
Not having Rob a phone call away will never feel real.
Lisa, Erica, and Ryan will find their way together with his blessing.
The grandkids will grow up hearing, “Rob would have liked that,” from the rest of us.

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Keith Salzman says
    June 3, 2026 at 7:08 pm

    Nice tribute David – captured the man and his wife, their legacy well. Thank you for taking the time to write and post it.

  2. Keith Salzman says
    June 4, 2026 at 11:05 am

    Wasn’t volunteering, my snipes from the nose-bleed seats would not make the exercise of your craft better I am sure. Best wishes to you in identifying Rob’s replacement!

    • David Gillaspie says
      June 4, 2026 at 3:21 pm

      If I had a dollar for every time I’ve done stuff after saying I wasn’t volunteering . . .

      Rob was like defending Michael Jordan. You can’t stop them, just try to contain.

      I figure everyone has a secret writer waiting for the right moment to shine a little.

      When I started my consultant said “you have to take a side before writing anything.”

      I took my own side with the idea of expanding on my experiences to give the reader a chance to do better after they see the pitfalls.

      The problems start when bloggers start exaggerating their experiences like they are their own hype-man. The reader loses trust eventually

      We don’t do that around here.

      Two of the best things I’ve heard is, “Do something worth writing about. Or write something worth reading.”

      I think Rob was on the verge of writing a post I wouldn’t have to fix too much.