Robert C. Pascalar Jr., 79, a former Sweet Home resident, died May 21, 2022, surrounded by his family.
He was born Dec. 1, 1942, in Rochester, N.Y., where he grew up.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the carrier Independence from 1961-64. During his service he protected us during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
After military service, Mr. Pascalar attended Monroe Community College, where he earned an associate degree.
In 1965 he married Erma Salatino; that year he was also hired by Eastman Kodak Company as a correspondent. While working days for Kodak, he began evening classes at the University of Rochester, where he earned a B.S. degree.
Mr. Pascalar continued with Kodak, promoted to sales account executive in the consumer markets division. He continued with Kodak until his retirement in 1997. His Kodak career was an adventure that sent him and his family from coast to coast three times.
His last sales territory was in Oregon, where he was able to buy a ranch in Sweet Home. There the family began to raise Angus cattle.
Spending most of his week out of town, Mr. Pascalar looked forward to the weekends, when he could spend time on the ranch with his family and friends. Despite being busy with Kodak and the ranch, he was always very involved with the community.
The Pascalar family was involved with church, and Mr. Pascalar was active in the Knights of Columbus.
He served as president of the Oregon Angus Association, founding the first and only Oregon Angus bus tour. His cattle were recognized at the national level, Pascalar Angus Ranch breeding more than one National ROV Champion. He ensured before his death that the ranching legacy would continue. The new headquarters of Pascalar Angus Ranch LLC is in Powers.
Mr. Pascalar was also elected to and served as the chair of the Sweet Home School Board, and was a strong advocate for having community college courses available to students while in high school.
He retired to Arizona with his wife in 2005. There, he joined the volunteer police and served as assistant resource officer for the local school district of Sahuarita. Caring for children and ensuring their safety was a passion of Mr. Pascalar.
He is already sorely missed by all his family and friends. Mr. Pascalar spent his life as a husband, father, brother, friend, musician, provider, protector, dream builder, pattern breaker, and unpaid comedian.
He was a warrior of the light, a force to be reckoned with, creative beyond belief, and his love and devotion, and bright spirit were unequaled. His family is grateful he belonged to them.
Mr. Pascalar is survived by his wife of 57 years, Erma S. Pascalar; son Robert W. Pascalar; daughter Cara A. Pascalar; three grandchildren; and three sisters, Beverly Crandall, Kathleen Housel, and Diane Zugnoni.
A memorial will be held Sunday, July 10, at St. Helen Catholic Church, 600 Sixth Ave. Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. The public memorial will begin about 11 a.m., and include a light lunch provided by the St. Helen’s Women’s Club and the Knights of Columbus Council 8624.
All members of the community are invited to attend and share their memories about Mr. Pascalar.