Robert Carithers Seaton Jr

Robert Carithers Seaton Jr.

May 4, 1953- November 5, 2023

I will let the words of my Aunt Tara Stauber express who my father was. He was my hero, and his sudden passing has changed my heart forever.Elizabeth Seaton Schauermann

“We lost another incredible soul from our lives. Life can change in a minute. My sweet brother-in-law, Bob, died from a hemorrhagic stroke causing a severe brain bleed. Here is my story of my dynamic, funny, and passionate brother-in-law, Bob…

Once upon a time, there was a guy named Bob—Uncle Bob, Bobby, Robert, Senator Seaton, BBQ Bob, one-eyed captain, Mr. First in Line at Every Buffet, and most notably, the Guitar Man…

He was born with a rare blood disorder, hemophilia, at a time when the condition was not very well understood. He outlived all the odds placed against him!! The doctors told his parents they could either put him in a bubble or let him live like a normal kid, but he would not likely live long—though he would be happy. So they let him live. Seventy years later, our favorite Guitar Man has only now left the studio to join his favorite musicians in the sky.

He lived a life better than most anyone we know. He never let the idea of his condition get in the way of the life he wanted to live and the things he wanted to do. He was quite remarkable in this way—actually, in so many ways. He brought a smile to every gathering despite the aches and pains that came with a long life of internal bleeds. He reminded us all how attitude and laughter can affect the quality of your life in the best ways.

Above all, Bob was a family man. His devotion and dedication to his lovely wife, Lynn (of almost 50 years!), and his two girls, Elizabeth and Julia, was undeniable. He adored them all… and then there were the grandchildren—Lawson, Prescott, Ford, Penelope, Magnolia, and Georgia, the youngest (whom he sadly never met). The lights of his life! He was so happy and content in this family world.

Bob was a storyteller—or should I say, a story maker-upper. He told so many tales it was hard to keep up with truth versus made-up embellishments. He liked to spin stories just to mess with people. It was his favorite pastime, and he had some serious skills for telling tales.

Once, we went to a David Bowie concert with him and my sister-in-law, Lynn. We bought a poster, which he decided to sign and give to his daughters as a special gift from Bowie. It was a cherished possession for many years until the girls discovered the story behind it. They were about to sell it on eBay, so he had to cough up the truth—of course, enjoying every minute of their appalled reaction. Chris and I laughed and said if anyone should have known better, it was those two.

From the moment I met the family, Bob embraced me as a welcomed addition, with lots of warnings of what I was in for! I was drawn to his fun, crazy, goofy (occasionally annoying) personality that had a way of lightening up all our family gatherings and almost any difficult situation.

An unforgettable moment was when Bob met my mother for the first time at our wedding. Sitting at the bar with a drink in hand, he offered to buy her a drink (which was free). They immediately hit it off. Both were quick-witted, clever, and amazing storytellers. He told her he was wearing Depends so he didn’t ever have to leave his bar seat to bother with the bathroom. Yes, he was kidding—but my mom thought he was crazy. Haha. Since then, they spent years bantering with each other. He recently sent her an oversized picture of himself to make sure she wasn’t lonely… which she sent back asking, “What will you do without yourself?”

We counted on Mr. First in Line at Every Buffet to kick off our family meals. He had the digestion of a crocodile—he could eat more than people twice his size and not gain an ounce. He baffled us all! (And made some of us quite jealous—yes, that would be me.) Buffets will never be the same without him.

His passion for music was contagious and exceptionally fun. We loved it when Bob showed up with his guitar. He had an extensive repertoire of favorite music, but perhaps at the top of his list was the Beatles. If it was your birthday, you were likely to get a call from him singing, “They say it’s your birthday, da da na na na na na… we’re gonna have a good time” —which was always a highlight of our birthday celebrations.

He could find a song for any situation. He played despite the pain in his elbows from years of internal bleeding that ruined his joints. Besides his family, playing guitar was his greatest passion, and nothing kept him from it (besides a bad day of relentless pain).

His love for music led him to co-found a nonprofit called Music for the Cause with his daughter Elizabeth. The purpose was to give struggling artists a platform—seeking up-and-coming musicians looking to be found. It had a special focus within the hemophilia community. They successfully launched some amazing talent and advanced awareness for this underserved genetic disorder across the country through two national songwriting competitions.

Julia, his other daughter, has two sons who have shared the life of hemophilia with him. He was one of the oldest living persons with hemophilia in the country. He didn’t sit idle. He served on boards and actively pursued government changes to better serve the hemophilia community and the medications that treat it. The industry is miles ahead of where it once was, and he had much to do with it.

He was a true inspiration to all. He lived a great life and shared his joy with everyone he met.

We are all so incredibly grateful for the gift of Bob and so saddened by our loss. We will miss you, Bob, but are so happy you are now living without pain and singing with the angels.

We say farewell to our fearless Leader of the Pack…

’Til we meet again, you keep rockin’, and we’ll be listening.”