Robert Schafgans

Robert “Bob” Schafgans, a beloved father, grandfather, veteran, and structural engineer, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2025, at the age of 76.

Bob was born on June 9, 1949, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the youngest of three brothers. At the age of seven, he immigrated with his family to San Francisco, where he would build a life rooted in creative problem solving, service, and community.

As a young man, Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army and served with courage in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, where he was deployed as an infantryman. After his service, he returned home and pursued higher education at the University of California, Berkeley. Inspired by a lifelong love of drawing — and following in the footsteps of his father, a gifted painter — Bob chose to study architectural and structural engineering, where he could blend his technical skill with artistic sensibility.

Bob began his professional career at Skidmore Owings and Merrill before becoming one of the founding partners of Structural Design Engineers. His entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to precision earned him the respect of colleagues and clients alike. Over the decades, he remained passionate about his work and deeply committed to building and creating. 

Bob was a problem solver. He loved being up to date with technology and participated in the earliest CAD software development in the 1970s and 80s, and he stayed on the cutting edge the rest of his career. He was always working with the newest software or buying the latest gadgets, whether it was the first iPhone or the first Tesla. This passion for problem solving, architectural and structural design was on full display when he designed and oversaw construction of the beautiful home that he and his partner Ginny would share until his death. 

Bob was known for his generosity, infectious laugh, and welcoming personality. Whether hosting friends or sharing a joke, he was often the life of the party. His warmth and humor made a lasting impression on all who knew him.

Bob is survived by his devoted partner Ginny, his loving son Alexander and wife Kristin, two grandsons Oliver (7) and Nathan (4), his two older brothers John and Adrian and their families, and a wide circle of cherished friends. His memory will live on in the lives he touched and the structures he helped shape.

He will be deeply missed.

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