Robert John "Bob" Malouf
Robert John “Bob” Malouf Robert John “Bob” Malouf, 87, of Pasadena, California, passed away on September 28, 2021 in Pasadena from complications of Crohn’s Disease. Bob was a first generation American, born in Los Angeles, California to Charles “Charlie” and Mabel Malouf on September 26, 1934. Charlie and Mabel both immigrated as children with their families from Zahleh, Lebanon; however, they met in Forest City, Arkansas when Charlie was on his way to Lebanon to “find a bride.” Charlie never made it back to the “Old Country” as he met Mabel on the way. After graduating from University “Uni” High School in West Los Angeles, Bob completed his education at Stanford University graduating with a Bachelors in economics in 1956. He went straight into the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer where he became a pilot, a lifelong dream of his. He loved to fly and he loved the mechanics of flying. He was fond of recounting how he passed his final pilots exam in the Air Force and explaining how airplanes turn and how G-forces work. He was a supporter of the Planes of Fame Air Museum at the Chino Airport and was a major patron in reconfiguring a P-51, a plane that he’d flown in the Air Force, into a two-seater so that the Air Museum could raise much-needed funds selling rides on the airplane. Bob’s email address was Bravo25@aol.com for the B-25 bombers that he commonly flew in peacetime in the late 50s. He created that email in 1985 the year that AOL was conceived. Bob married Shirley Ellen Semon of Phoenix, Arizona on June 29, 1957 in Phoenix and they would have three children. The Maloufs moved to West Covina, California after Bob completed his commitment to the Air Force. On December 28, 1959, Bob, along with his brother Chuck Malouf, purchased from their mother Mabel Malouf the Peggy Lou Company of Los Angeles, a company their father Charlie had started in the 1930s. The brothers jointly ran Peggy Lou until 1986. Peggy Lou designed and manufactured women’s clothing under the labels Peggy Lou and Wall Street West and the clothing was sold in mall stores and department stores across the United States. Peggy Lou was among the first companies to create and use a label “Made in California” and “Made in the USA” with an American flag on the label in the 1960s. Even though Bob was a very private man, those who knew him knew his pride that his garments were 100% made in the USA. Peggy Lou was featured in Time magazine in the late 60s for their original and stylish garments for large size women as well as their innovative use of a computer. The computer filled an entire room and had its own air conditioning. Bob spent many Saturdays in the Peggy Lou factory backing up the computer that was his pride and joy. He hired a programmer from Stanford University to travel almost 400 miles to Los Angeles to program the computer. When the brothers decided to quit Peggy Lou in the late 1980s, Bob explained, “it’s not fun anymore. We got too big too quickly, and with the size came buyers clamoring for shortcuts and lesser goods that we were not willing to produce.” In fact, vintage 60’s and 70’s Peggy Lou Company clothing can be found online even now at stores such as Ebay, Etsy, and Poshmark. Bob was a strong supporter of small business and local business as well as all things “made in America.” He conscientiously and consistently used his pocketbook to support those beliefs. Bob was a Stanford Buck Club member and attended many Class Reunions and Fraternity Reunions at Stanford. Another of his favorite activities were his flight school reunions with the Air Force. As recently as four years ago, he attended a flight school reunion in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Playing bridge was something Bob enjoyed for decades, starting with his days at Stanford. He was a Silver Life Master, however his partners and bridge friends knew he was a much better player than that. Best of all, his partners knew him as the most forgiving player in the game, and no one ever heard him complain. He was considered a true friend in the bridge community and his smile and charm will be missed. Bob loved his Lebanese heritage and he was President of Maloofs International, Inc. for several years, recruiting members, planning and attending Maloofs Conventions, and most especially supporting the dedication and permanent display of Maloof – The Ghassani Legacy at the Library of Congress and The Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC, and the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. He was proud of his “Lebanese nose” and a staunch supporter of Danny Thomas who bucked the Hollywood community and refused a “nose job.” He traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to research wife Shirley’s family tree and researched his parents coming to the US through Ellis Island, New York. He volunteered for many years as a historian for Pasadena Heritage conducting research and hosting house tours and subscribed to several history magazines, the Civil War in particular. He enjoyed traveling through the southern states of the US visiting Civil War sites and plantations. Bob’s personality was a wonderful blend of “old school” and “new school.” He was “old school” in that he read five daily newspapers and liked the smell of the newsprint and holding the paper in his hands. Bob’s values would be considered “old school” by many. He valued family, integrity, respect, responsibility, commitment, and kindness above all, he had a quick smile, and he lived those values and taught others those values through the way he lived his life. Bob was “new school” many ways – he built a stereo for his home in the 60s, building the speakers of wood and assembling and wiring all the components. He utilized a computer for business before many knew about computers. He kept up with innovations and developments in technology and his children would own cutting-edge calculators and typewriters. His office staff had a programmable IBM Selectric the year it was introduced. He purchased a Mac computer for his home in 1984 when they were introduced; an iMac in 1998 the year they were introduced; and an iPhone the year they were introduced in 2007. He loved texting. How many octogenarian men know how to text? He texted with his granddaughter back in the days of flip phones. Bob married Marvine Neff Malouf of Pasadena after Shirley passed away in 1998. Bob and Marvine enjoyed their lives and many friends in Pasadena. They joined the Valley Hunt Club and entertained and attended many functions there. They enjoyed traveling together and especially looked forward to the Maloofs International Conventions. Bob loved his family, his extended family, his bridge family, and his Pasadena family and he will be acutely missed. Bob was preceded in death by his wife Shirley Malouf and son John Manson Malouf. Bob is survived by wife Marvine Neff Malouf; children Laura Malouf Coronado and Ernie; Robert Nicholas Malouf and Theresa; grandchildren Rebecca Ellen “Becca” Coronado, Robert Charles “Charlie” Malouf, and Samuel Nicholas “Sam” Malouf; stepchildren Arthur Neff and Julie; Andrea Neff Monks and Thomas; step-grandchildren Mac Neff, Belle Neff, and Reagan Monks. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the entire Huntington Hospital staff for their thorough care of Bob and his family. Their empathy will be remembered always. To honor Bob’s memory, please support small business and all things made in America. Services are at 11:00 am October 11, 2021 at Cabot and Sons in Pasadena.Obituary
Robert John “Bob” Malouf Robert John “Bob” Malouf, 87, of Pasadena, California, passed away on September 28, 2021 in Pasadena from complications of Crohn’s Disease. Bob was a first generation American, born in Los Angeles, California to Charles “Charlie” and Mabel Malouf on September 26, 1934. Charlie and Mabel both immigrated as children with their families from Zahleh, Lebanon; however, they met in Forest City, Arkansas when Charlie was on his way to Lebanon to “find a bride.” Charlie never made it back to the “Old Country” as he met Mabel on the way. After graduating from University “Uni” High School in West Los Angeles, Bob completed his education at Stanford University graduating with a Bachelors in economics in 1956. He went straight into the United States Air Force as a commissioned officer where he became a pilot, a lifelong dream of his. He loved to fly and he loved the mechanics of flying. He was fond of recounting how he passed his final pilots exam in the Air Force and explaining how airplanes turn and how G-forces work. He was a supporter of the Planes of Fame Air Museum at the Chino Airport and was a major patron in reconfiguring a P-51, a plane that he’d flown in the Air Force, into a two-seater so that the Air Museum could raise much-needed funds selling rides on the airplane. Bob’s email address was Bravo25@aol.com for the B-25 bombers that he commonly flew in peacetime in the late 50s. He created that email in 1985 the year that AOL was conceived. Bob married Shirley Ellen Semon of Phoenix, Arizona on June 29, 1957 in Phoenix and they would have three children. The Maloufs moved to West Covina, California after Bob completed his commitment to the Air Force. On December 28, 1959, Bob, along with his brother Chuck Malouf, purchased from their mother Mabel Malouf the Peggy Lou Company of Los Angeles, a company their father Charlie had started in the 1930s. The brothers jointly ran Peggy Lou until 1986. Peggy Lou designed and manufactured women’s clothing under the labels Peggy Lou and Wall Street West and the clothing was sold in mall stores and department stores across the United States. Peggy Lou was among the first companies to create and use a label “Made in California” and “Made in the USA” with an American flag on the label in the 1960s. Even though Bob was a very private man, those who knew him knew his pride that his garments were 100% made in the USA. Peggy Lou was featured in Time magazine in the late 60s for their original and stylish garments for large size women as well as their innovative use of a computer. The computer filled an entire room and had its own air conditioning. Bob spent many Saturdays in the Peggy Lou factory backing up the computer that was his pride and joy. He hired a programmer from Stanford University to travel almost 400 miles to Los Angeles to program the computer. When the brothers decided to quit Peggy Lou in the late 1980s, Bob explained, “it’s not fun anymore. We got too big too quickly, and with the size came buyers clamoring for shortcuts and lesser goods that we were not willing to produce.” In fact, vintage 60’s and 70’s Peggy Lou Company clothing can be found online even now at stores such as Ebay, Etsy, and Poshmark. Bob was a strong supporter of small business and local business as well as all things “made in America.” He conscientiously and consistently used his pocketbook to support those beliefs. Bob was a Stanford Buck Club member and attended many Class Reunions and Fraternity Reunions at Stanford. Another of his favorite activities were his flight school reunions with the Air Force. As recently as four years ago, he attended a flight school reunion in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Playing bridge was something Bob enjoyed for decades, starting with his days at Stanford. He was a Silver Life Master, however his partners and bridge friends knew he was a much better player than that. Best of all, his partners knew him as the most forgiving player in the game, and no one ever heard him complain. He was considered a true friend in the bridge community and his smile and charm will be missed. Bob loved his Lebanese heritage and he was President of Maloofs International, Inc. for several years, recruiting members, planning and attending Maloofs Conventions, and most especially supporting the dedication and permanent display of Maloof – The Ghassani Legacy at the Library of Congress and The Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC, and the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. He was proud of his “Lebanese nose” and a staunch supporter of Danny Thomas who bucked the Hollywood community and refused a “nose job.” He traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to research wife Shirley’s family tree and researched his parents coming to the US through Ellis Island, New York. He volunteered for many years as a historian for Pasadena Heritage conducting research and hosting house tours and subscribed to several history magazines, the Civil War in particular. He enjoyed traveling through the southern states of the US visiting Civil War sites and plantations. Bob’s personality was a wonderful blend of “old school” and “new school.” He was “old school” in that he read five daily newspapers and liked the smell of the newsprint and holding the paper in his hands. Bob’s values would be considered “old school” by many. He valued family, integrity, respect, responsibility, commitment, and kindness above all, he had a quick smile, and he lived those values and taught others those values through the way he lived his life. Bob was “new school” many ways – he built a stereo for his home in the 60s, building the speakers of wood and assembling and wiring all the components. He utilized a computer for business before many knew about computers. He kept up with innovations and developments in technology and his children would own cutting-edge calculators and typewriters. His office staff had a programmable IBM Selectric the year it was introduced. He purchased a Mac computer for his home in 1984 when they were introduced; an iMac in 1998 the year they were introduced; and an iPhone the year they were introduced in 2007. He loved texting. How many octogenarian men know how to text? He texted with his granddaughter back in the days of flip phones. Bob married Marvine Neff Malouf of Pasadena after Shirley passed away in 1998. Bob and Marvine enjoyed their lives and many friends in Pasadena. They joined the Valley Hunt Club and entertained and attended many functions there. They enjoyed traveling together and especially looked forward to the Maloofs International Conventions. Bob loved his family, his extended family, his bridge family, and his Pasadena family and he will be acutely missed. Bob was preceded in death by his wife Shirley Malouf and son John Manson Malouf. Bob is survived by wife Marvine Neff Malouf; children Laura Malouf Coronado and Ernie; Robert Nicholas Malouf and Theresa; grandchildren Rebecca Ellen “Becca” Coronado, Robert Charles “Charlie” Malouf, and Samuel Nicholas “Sam” Malouf; stepchildren Arthur Neff and Julie; Andrea Neff Monks and Thomas; step-grandchildren Mac Neff, Belle Neff, and Reagan Monks. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the entire Huntington Hospital staff for their thorough care of Bob and his family. Their empathy will be remembered always. To honor Bob’s memory, please support small business and all things made in America. Services are at 11:00 am October 11, 2021 at Cabot and Sons in Pasadena.
Events
11:00 AM
Pasadena, CA 91103