1939
Robert
2020
Robert (Bob) Mac Buchanan, Ph.D.
May 17, 1939 — June 10, 2020
Robert (Bob) Mac Buchanan, Ph.D., who as the Director of Economic Development at West Valley City spearheaded the development of the Utah Cultural Celebration Center and was a key member of several cultural organizations including the Navajo Pow Wow, the Tongan-American Society and Samoan-American Society, died at his home in Holladay, UT on June 10th, 2020 of cancer. He was 81.
Born to Maxine Sawyers and June V. Buchanan on May 17th, 1939 in Richfield, UT, he was raised on the nearby family farm in Venice, UT. He had two brothers, Lorenzo Dow and Bruce, and one sister, Mary June. Bob served a mission for the LDS church in New Zealand, where he developed a lifelong love of the country and the culture of its Maori people. On that same mission, he also first met Robyn Eriwata, whom he would eventually marry fifteen years later after a romance featuring return visits to New Zealand, a trip to Europe, Robyn’s move to North America to become a school teacher in British Columbia, and countless letters back and forth across the Pacific.
Bob and Robyn had four children: Jordyn Aonui Buchanan (Laura Grosshans) of New York City, Jemmyn Apihai Buchanan (Stephanie Kappos), Marisa Claudia Granado (David) all of Salt Lake City area and KereAna Pamela Waerata Buchanan of Wellington, New Zealand, plus three beautiful mokopuna (grandchildren): AnaMarie Mac Granado, Belladova Aroha Buchanan and newborn Isadora Mae Granado who have given him the greatest possible pleasure since their births. Bob also was a stand-in father for his sister Mary June’s children – Jeffrey, Deanne and Bruce – when their father died and became a father figure to several other young people during his life, including his nieces Lara and Kindra.
Bob attended the University of Utah where he obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. Prior to his work at West Valley as the Director of Economic Development he owned Planning and Research Associates, an Urban Planning company, and then worked as an Urban Planner for Salt Lake City. At West Valley, he sought to reflect the diversity of the city’s population in its economic development. He worked relentlessly with community leaders to build the Cultural Celebration Center, created a Polynesian Advisory Board to provide advice on city issues, and was very involved in many cultural groups, including serving as Vice President of the Navajo Pow Wow. Along with Robyn, he was a co-owner and tireless worker at the Third Avenue, Second Avenue, Cottonwood Canyon and Tenth East Montessori Schools and most recently The Montessori Community School of Salt Lake City.
Travel played a central role in Bob’s life. In addition to many return trips to New Zealand where he and Robyn own a beach house, he visited many areas of the US, Canada and Mexico, countries throughout Europe, Egypt, Israel, Aruba, Thailand, Bhutan, Australia and Thursday Island. Last summer, he and his entire family made a trip to Fiji to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Since his retirement from West Valley, Bob has made a return to working the family farm in Venice. He loved vintage farm machinery and rebuilt a thresher and binder which he used to harvest grain. For two summers, on Wednesday nights, he could be found at the Sugarhouse Farmers Market selling the produce he grew in Venice.
Bob has been a loyal and devoted husband, father, son, uncle, brother, grandfather (Papa Tu) and friend. He was a very hardworking man of few words with a deep love of nature and a great interest in family history and genealogy. Bob’s quiet presence, his kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent and thoughtful manner and his considered contributions to conversations made him a very dear and valued friend and family member. He was a truly good and gentle man who lived life fully and well. He will be deeply missed by many.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund
https://gf.me/u/x3jc2q
Born to Maxine Sawyers and June V. Buchanan on May 17th, 1939 in Richfield, UT, he was raised on the nearby family farm in Venice, UT. He had two brothers, Lorenzo Dow and Bruce, and one sister, Mary June. Bob served a mission for the LDS church in New Zealand, where he developed a lifelong love of the country and the culture of its Maori people. On that same mission, he also first met Robyn Eriwata, whom he would eventually marry fifteen years later after a romance featuring return visits to New Zealand, a trip to Europe, Robyn’s move to North America to become a school teacher in British Columbia, and countless letters back and forth across the Pacific.
Bob and Robyn had four children: Jordyn Aonui Buchanan (Laura Grosshans) of New York City, Jemmyn Apihai Buchanan (Stephanie Kappos), Marisa Claudia Granado (David) all of Salt Lake City area and KereAna Pamela Waerata Buchanan of Wellington, New Zealand, plus three beautiful mokopuna (grandchildren): AnaMarie Mac Granado, Belladova Aroha Buchanan and newborn Isadora Mae Granado who have given him the greatest possible pleasure since their births. Bob also was a stand-in father for his sister Mary June’s children – Jeffrey, Deanne and Bruce – when their father died and became a father figure to several other young people during his life, including his nieces Lara and Kindra.
Bob attended the University of Utah where he obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. Prior to his work at West Valley as the Director of Economic Development he owned Planning and Research Associates, an Urban Planning company, and then worked as an Urban Planner for Salt Lake City. At West Valley, he sought to reflect the diversity of the city’s population in its economic development. He worked relentlessly with community leaders to build the Cultural Celebration Center, created a Polynesian Advisory Board to provide advice on city issues, and was very involved in many cultural groups, including serving as Vice President of the Navajo Pow Wow. Along with Robyn, he was a co-owner and tireless worker at the Third Avenue, Second Avenue, Cottonwood Canyon and Tenth East Montessori Schools and most recently The Montessori Community School of Salt Lake City.
Travel played a central role in Bob’s life. In addition to many return trips to New Zealand where he and Robyn own a beach house, he visited many areas of the US, Canada and Mexico, countries throughout Europe, Egypt, Israel, Aruba, Thailand, Bhutan, Australia and Thursday Island. Last summer, he and his entire family made a trip to Fiji to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Since his retirement from West Valley, Bob has made a return to working the family farm in Venice. He loved vintage farm machinery and rebuilt a thresher and binder which he used to harvest grain. For two summers, on Wednesday nights, he could be found at the Sugarhouse Farmers Market selling the produce he grew in Venice.
Bob has been a loyal and devoted husband, father, son, uncle, brother, grandfather (Papa Tu) and friend. He was a very hardworking man of few words with a deep love of nature and a great interest in family history and genealogy. Bob’s quiet presence, his kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent and thoughtful manner and his considered contributions to conversations made him a very dear and valued friend and family member. He was a truly good and gentle man who lived life fully and well. He will be deeply missed by many.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund
https://gf.me/u/x3jc2q
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