Robert John Hebner, born in New York on November 21, 1948, passed away peacefully at Mission Hospital on January 23, 2021, after a weeks-long battle with Covid.He was known by a few names, from the short and sweet "Bob", to his mother's "Bobby", and everything from "Big Guy" to "Honey" - he was a man of many hats.He was born to Sarah Bridget Hebner and Robert Gross Hebner (passed), and he was the eldest of six children, and so he learned early on how to look out and care for those around him (and also how to cause trouble and not get caught!).After spending his childhood dodging taxis on the streets of New York (and giving his mother a heart attack the one time the taxi was faster), he and the other kids were packed up into the family Lincoln (no seat belts!) as the Hebner family travelled westward ho to new opportunities, ending up in Culver City, California (next to the big donut!) in 1956. They then bounced around SoCal, from Garden Grove to Fountain Valley.

Little Bobby grew from a darling Disneyland balloon boy to a tall (very tall), strong, and driven man who knew what he wanted out of life - happiness, love, family, security, faith - and worked hard to get it.He worked his way through law school, taking classes at night and being a loving husband and father to his wife Susan and their three children, Racheal, Heather, and Bobby (gotta keep the Bob Dynasty going...) - all without hardly any loss of sanity!He eventually established his own firm with his best friend Paul, and Kriner & Hebner was born.

He loved working at the firm and being his own boss, and the years flew by measured in loyal clients, mounds of paperwork, and ridiculous theme parties (allegedly for employee morale, but he just wanted any excuse to rent a camel).While at the firm, he married his second wife, Debbie, and gained three stepchildren - Katie, Michael, and Sean - and eventually they had another child together, Sarah.They enjoyed a few happy years together before Debbie passed of pancreatic cancer in 1997.

The next decade or so was hard for Robert, but he still endeavored to always be there for his family.He retired from the law business and eventually settled in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.He kept his head down, and went along in his quiet manner, before he met Elaine, his third wife.The marriage didn't last very long, but she helped Bob open up more and he realized he still had even more love to give, and he wanted to find that one person who would be there for him and just Get him, quirks and highs and lows and weird sense of humor and all.And he found that in Pam, who made his last five years the happiest, and full of fun.They enjoyed the retired lifestyle together, always going on trips and trying new things, taking cooking classes and starting an art collection together, building a home together and in each other through laughter and love.

All throughout his life, Robert was a man of faith, even briefly entertaining the idea of going into the seminary for awhile.God and his faith were important pillars of his character, and you could find him at church almost everyday - neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night could keep him away.He built lasting relationships, not only just with God, but with the people in the church community.He was an involved sacristan, a part of the 55 and better club and the ALPHA program, and he even found a poker group to gamble his riches away with twice a week - a whopping 5 cent ante, so they were some high rollers!

Even through hardship and loss and times where he struggled with bad days and depression, he was so concerned with being a good man. And he was the best - the best father, husband, friend, person you could ever hope to meet.His quiet humility, generous heart, and one-of-a-kind sense of humor will be fondly and fiercely remembered.There will be no more hugs or Sunday morning masses or afternoon Scrabble tournaments, no more dad jokes or "just seeing how you're doing" phone calls or shaking of fists at technology, no more trips or dancing or all the quiet little moments that say "I'm here" - but there will still be memories, and with tears comes laughter, with pain comes joy.He will always be missed, and he will always, always, be loved.

Bob is survived by his wife and four children, his mother, his five grandchildren (and one fresh great-granddaughter!), his three sisters and one brother, his friends, his beloved Mercedes convertible, and all those he touched and helped in his life.


There will be a mass held at San Francisco Solano Church in Santa Margarita on Friday, February 12, at 10:00 am, followed by graveside services at Ascension Cemetery, 24754 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest.