Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Barbara "Bobbie" Ann Blake was the first-born child to Emma and Alvah Blake in 1932, in Leominister, Massachusetts. Bobbie was soon joined by a younger sister, Fay, and later a younger brother, Bert. As a child, Bobbie loved reading Nancy Drew mysteries. While Fay enjoyed being outside with the horses, Bobbie liked to dress up and was very social. Bobbie was beautiful. She loved jewelry and she liked shopping for clothes. Bobbie thought the world of her father and she was greatly influenced by her mother and her Aunt Mary, who was the life of the party. When she was 17, Bobbie wanted to model. She became the first person to model Catalina swimsuits. But, a motorcycle accident cut her dreams short. Bobbie managed to forge ahead with new dreams and she started working at the studios. In fact, she earned a job working for Roy Disney at Disney Studios. Her job for the next five years was working on data input in payroll and doing financial reports for Roy Disney. When she missed a couple of days of work due to the flu, Roy Disney fired her. But, that didn’t stop Bobbie. She drove over to Warner Brothers Studios and started work that day. They sat her down in front of a keypunch and she went to work.

Bobbie fell in love with Robert Harpe, who was in the Air Force, and the couple was married in Las Vegas. Bobbie moved to Santa Maria with Robert, as he was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The couple moved to Cape Canaveral as Robert was working on the Mole Project, which turned out to be the first Space Lab. After Robert retired from the Air Force, the couple lived in Tennessee for a while and then returned to Santa Maria. When Robert died in 1980, it was hard for Bobbie. For five years, her friendship with Al Davis helped her. He was a good friend, a real dynamo, supportive and family oriented. Her best friend, Becky, also helped Bobbie as they went on adventures together. Becky would tell Bobbie, "Get in the car, we’re going for a ride." On a spur of the moment, Becky and Bobbie would go on a trip to Las Vegas. Another time on a whim they ended up in San Diego for a late night dinner.

Through Becky, Bobbie met Bob Lansden 13 years ago in Santa Maria. She found love again and the two became companions. Bob said he fell in love with Bobbie’s beautiful eyes and she was his best friend as they spent 24 hours a day together. Bobbie was very patriotic and Bob served in the Air Force. The couple enjoyed cruises together to Alaska, Mexico and the Panama Canal. They also traveled together to Hawaii and Costa Rica to visit the Butterfly Preserve. Over the years, Bobbie enjoyed family reunions in San Diego or Calabasas. She spent Thanksgiving holidays with her family and Christmas holidays with Bob’s family. She especially enjoyed spending time with her nieces Cindy and Sherie along with her grandniece and grandnephews. In her free time, Bobbie golfed with ladies from the YMCA, she enjoyed her Republican women’s group, and as a football fan, she loved her New England Patriots.

Over the years, she accumulated lots of beautiful outfits and especially liked designer clothes by Carole Little. Bobbie loved music by Elvis, Frankie Valli and Bobby Darin. Her favorite songs were Santa Baby by Marilyn Monroe, Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler and Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman by Bryan Adams. A member of the Mystery Book Club and Reader’s Digest Book Club, she loved reading mysteries. Her favorite flowers were orchids, amarillas and roses. She also loved her 8-year-old Daschund named Birdie.

Bobbie Harpe will be remembered as a fun lady who loved parties and loved to smile and laugh. She was a giving, social person. She was energetic, loved to dance and loved life. Her advice would be to have a celebration, go party and live! Her family will miss Bobbie’s hugs, smiles and laughter. For Bob Lansden, Bobbie was his best friend in the world and he will miss everything about her.

Bobbie is reunited with her parents; husband Robert Harpe; and grandnephew Christopher. She is remembered by her companion Bob Lansden; siblings Fay and Bert; niece Cindy and her husband Phil; niece Sherie; grandniece Heather; grandnephew Eric; and favorite cousins, "The Rat Pack," Dan, Pete, and Lyle.

May Barbara "Bobbie" Ann Blake Harpe rest in peace…