Angels Camp, CA…Robert “Bob” Bach was born, Jonathan Moses Ford, on November 21, 1939, in La Fallotte, Tenn. He was one of eight children of John and Elsie Ford. In 1940, the family came to California and settled in Melones here in Calaveras County because of employment opportunities in the Carson Hill Mine. In 1942, a fire swept through the mine destroying all of the facility and the mine ceased operation. The Ford family continued to live for a while in Melones but eventually moved to San Andreas and settled into a little house located behind the current town hall. It was there that the family came in contact with Rev. Fred Bach and his wife Anna, who would come to the house and encourage the children to attend Sunday School at the community church. In 1945, Elsie Chadwell was killed in a car accident and John Ford, fearing the responsibility of raising all the children himself disappeared. The County of Calaveras moved the family into a little house located in the old jail yard while plans for their future could be determined. Some of the family members were old enough to go out on their own, other family members cared for some, but Jonathan Moses Ford was adopted by Rev. and Mrs. Fred Bach, in January of 1946. He received the name, Robert Bach, and not only got a new family, but was introduced to a new way of life in the home of a minister and teacher.

Bob attended San Andreas Elementary School, and graduated from Calaveras High School in 1957. Following graduation he worked on the summer staff at Mission Springs Conference Center in Santa Cruz and then enrolled at North Park College in Chicago, Illinois in September of 1957. He graduated from North Park in 1961 with a degree in English. Following graduation, he returned to California and to the summer staff at Mission Springs. During that summer he met Marlene Kronberg of Turlock who was attending the family camp there. Two years later they were married in her home church in Turlock.

Bob’s career in education began in the fall of 1961 when he joined the faculty of Minnehaha Academy, a 9-12 high school of the Evangelical Covenant Church. He was a teacher and coach there for five years before returning to his alma mater, Calaveras High School in 1966. For the next seven years he served at Calaveras as head football coach, English teacher, and athletic director. In 1973 he joined the staff at Bret Harte High School as a counselor and over the next seventeen years he served also as principal and district superintendent. In 1990 he was elected Calaveras County Superintendent of Schools and re-elected to that post in 1994. He retired in 1998 but has remained involved with education as a mentor, and with various short term assignments with school districts, and the State Department of Education. Over the years, Bob has been active with numerous community and civic groups as well as with his home church, Grace Hills Covenant Church, Angels Camp

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marlene. Four children: Dan (LoriAnn) of LaHabra, CA, Mindi Roser (Steve), of Meridian, ID, David (Stacey) of Tustin, CA, and Dusty (Melanie), of Angels Camp, CA. He is also survived by his sister, Peggy Schmidt (Alaska), brother Gary Roidt (Nevada), 13 grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and scores of friends.

Bob was involved with the Calaveras County Office of Education and all the schools in Calaveras County, San Andreas Community Covenant Church, Grace Hills Covenant Church and many civic organizations. In lieu of flowers or gifts, he would be honored by donations to any of these organizations that bring meaning to the donor.

A public memorial service will be held at a later date.