Longtime firefighter and labor leader Robert Theodore “Bob” Wolf, 56, of Sun City Roseville, died of heart failure on March 2, 2017, while RVing in Phoenix, Ariz.
Born April 21, 1960, in Redlands, he grew up in fire stations around the state as his father, who worked for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (now CalFire), transferred among units.
In 1978, after graduating from Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, he immediately followed his father into the fire service. He spent his entire career in CalFire and climbed the ranks while working in San Luis Obispo, Shasta-Trinity, Riverside and Lassen-Modoc units before retiring as a battalion chief in 2012.
In the early 1990s, while in Riverside, he became active in CDF Firefighters (now CalFire) Local 2881, first as a rank-and-file representative and then as Chapter Director and Region VI Director/Vice President. He was elected general vice president of the statewide union in 2001 and became its president in 2003. When he retired in 2012, he was the longest-serving president, of the third largest firefighter union in North America.
Chief Wolf enjoyed soccer (especially Manchester United), motorcycle riding, RVing and Little League baseball, for which he served as a coach and manager. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Lavonne; three sons, Jeremiah (Carly), Jacob (Gina), and Zachary (Joanna); his mother, Rose; brother, Darrell (Carol); sister, Pam (Robin); four grandchildren, Isaac, Jewels, Max and Stella; many close family members, and thousands of Union brothers and sisters.
He was preceded in death by his father, Carl.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. April 1 at the Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J St., Sacramento. It will be preceded by a Ride of Remembrance starting at 10:30 a.m. from Sun City Roseville to the Union Hall at 1731 J Street, Sacramento, where an Honor Guard and Fire Procession to the Convention Center will step off at 12:45 p.m. Inurnment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Bob Wolf Memorial Fund at www.Bobwolfmemorial.com.