Bob was born June 26, 1956, and passed suddenly at age 68 on February 1, 2025 at Guelph General Hospital.
He is preceded in death by his loving parents, Jack and Catherine Hastings (nee Andrews). Bob leaves behind his partner, of eight years, Eleanor Campbell. As well as, his two children, Emma (Greg) and James (Rachael). His only grandchild, Will, remembers him as “Pappy.” He was loved by Eleanor’s children Allison and Amanda with their spouses and children. As well as all his extended family both past and present.
How does one write an obituary for someone who was able to paint pictures, evoke emotions, and weave beautiful stories with their words? Bob was a poet at heart, a songwriter, and a musician whose music has spoken to people for the decades of his life. From his time playing in cafés in downtown Guelph to recording and touring with Stillwater Band to playing around campfires with loved ones. Consider yourself truly blessed to have ever heard him stand around on a Saturday afternoon, his one leg on a dining room chair, fingerpicking and singing Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind, to everyone and no one at the same time.
Bob devoted a large portion of his life to rodeo. He proudly attended Pony Club as a child and from then on, it was history. He was a bull rider, a bronc rider, and eventually a clown. He would be disappointed in me if I neglected to include a joke like “He was a clown even without being one at the rodeos”. In his later years, he returned to the rodeo to give tours of the chutes for the RAM rodeo and do flagging in the arena. He used to say he could barely walk to the kitchen but just watch how fast he can run when a bull comes too close.
Bob was loyal, dependable, funny, and loved his friends and family deeply. It would only be appropriate for Bob himself to close this out “Holding onto something that I learned out on the road, is never trust yourself with one that you might lose. Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all is what they say, but we all must pay our dues.” (Quote from Running Deep – Bob Hastings).
A visitation will be held for Bob on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 6-8 pm at the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 206 Norfolk St., Guelph, Ontario. A celebration of life event will be announced shortly and held at a later date.
Arrangements entrusted to the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com.
A tree will be planted in memory of Robert (Bob) J. Hastings in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.