"I Took A Walk" OR " What Is Bob's Corner?"

Part of my therapy; aside from exercising in the pool, is to walk more frequently, so recently I started taking walks around the large apartment complex where my humble abode resides. As my strength and endurance has grown, I've started expanding my breadth to the surrounding area and neighborhoods.  One of my extended walks found me at an interesting monument.

View from "Bob's Corner"

On the Southeast corner of Camino Del Norte and Carmel Mountain Rd in Carmel Mountain Ranch (Just South Rancho Bernardo) resides a quaint bench with a small placard next to it.

"Bob's Corner"

As of this posting; My wife and I have lived in the area for over three years.  We have seen the bench from our vehicle many times while driving past but never took the time stop, get out of the car and walk over to learn more about why there is a random bench on the corner of a busy intersection under a pepper tree.

I was surprised to discover that the bench itself is actually made of steel and aluminum but painted to have the appearance of an old style wooden bench.  It's nice to know that there will be little to no maintenance needed over the years, excluding upkeep due to vandalizing, and even so it should still be fairly easy to clean and or repair.

When I returned home after my jaunt, I immediately started searching for more information about this location; why there was a metal-to-look-like-wood bench, who was Robert S. Merry and why was 'Bob's Corner' created.  Sadly the results were not plentiful nor easy to find. The only item I could find was the following link from www.sdnews.com dated September 27, 2007.

According to that article Bob was one man who was truly dedicated to serving not only his country by helping create military systems that are still in use today, but also his community by helping to improve the landscaping in his community around the very corner where his bench now resides all the while leaving many memories and stories for those who knew and loved him.

Picture of Robert S. Merry from SDNews.com

I hope that more people get the opportunity to stop by Bob's Corner for a brief moment of R&R on his bench. When I was resting, I imagined what the area may have looked liked when Bob and his wife Judy occupied the same space that I was now sitting in. I also pondered why this specific corner and view was selected to be forever immortalized as "Bob's Corner." Did Bob and Judy come to this very spot and gaze off into the west in the same way the bench is so purposefully mounted; daydreaming about what the future may hold?

If you know or have more information about this memorial and who Robert S. Merry was, please contact me through this blog as I would love to learn more about this man who touched his community with such greatness they erected a unique memorial in his honor.

Carmel Mountain Ranch

My Pictures From "Bob's Corner" - A Set on Flickr