Robert “Bob” Schwartzberg, born in New York City and died in Mount Vernon on October 20 after a long illness. Bob grew up in Queens, New York, where he developed his New York accent and love of the New York Yankees.

Bob received his BA from Queens College in New York City. After college, he moved to Washington, DC to work in the field of non-profit association management. Bob went on to complete graduate work in public relations at American University, and subsequently obtained certification as a professional fund raiser (CFRE). During his career in fundraising, he worked as the Director of Development for the National Crime Prevention Council and Junior Achievement in Washington, D.C. He also served as Senior Vice President, Financial Development for the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, where he directed all fund raising activities, including capital campaigns, for the Y’s fourteen area branches.  

While working at the Y, Bob met his wife Marilyn who swam laps every morning at the Y’s pool. He asked her out for coffee one morning, and they began a 45-year-long partnership. Bob and Marilyn first discovered San Juan island while vacationing in the Northwest in the early ‘90s, and ended up buying the property at Cattle Point where they would later build their home.

They moved to San Juan Island in 2000 when Bob became the Director of Development for the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs. During this time, Bob also served as a Senior Associate at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy’s Fund Raising School, where he taught Principles & Techniques of Fundraising at seminars around the country.

After Bob retired, he became an active member of the San Juan Lions, and worked as a volunteer at the San Juan Library. He also continued to volunteer his fundraising expertise to non-profit organizations on the island and to former students. He served as a volunteer on the Board of Advisors of the Progeria Foundation up until his death. Most of all, he enjoyed his home, working in the garden with Marilyn, and his cats.

Bob fought a long and courageous battle against Parkinson’s disease.  He was a volunteer for the PADs program on San Juan island, and when he moved to assisted living in Anacortes, he organized a Parkinson’s support group where he is still missed. Bob is survived by his wife Marilyn Ross of Friday Harbor and his brother Stuart Schwartzberg of Las Vegas, Nevada.