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Longtime San Francisco teacher and scoutmaster passed away peacefully, July 20, 2003, while a resident of the Buena Vista Manor House retirement home In the city. He was a Lowell H.S. graduate, Class of 1928, and a University of San Francisco alumnus. Bob grew up on Elgin Park Street in the Mission and spent most of his adult life within a few miles of his birthplace. Upon graduation, he began a teaching career that continued until the end of the century. The students of Aptos Junior High and Lowell were the beneficiaries of the talented Mr. Anino's teaching abilities. His mastery of French, Spanish, German and Italian were invaluable as an interpreter in World War II , especially In the Battle of the Bulge. In 1949 he came to Lowell H.S. to teach foreign languages but his versatility and outgoing personality soon added Student Body Advisor to his responsibilities. Eight years after his arrival, the Class of 1957 summed up Lowell's appreciation of Bob Anino: Yearbook Dedication - "This edition of the Red & White is dedicated to one of Lowell's truly great personalities, Mr. Bob Anino. During the eight years he has been at Lowell Mr. Anino has gained the respect and admiration of both faculty and students. Versatile is the one word that best describes him. His teaching assignments are physical education social studies, foreign languages, and counseling. His extra curricular activities include advisor to the executive board and the student council, general supervision at rallies, and coaching lightweight basketball, swimming, and track. Mr. Anino contributes to the school spirit by playing the piano at rallies and creating new songs and cheers for games and special programs. He is a Lowell graduate, and it is plain to see that he has retained his liveliness and sense of humor from his school days. A dry wit and friendly quips add to his endearing qualities. He is a rare mixture of friend, confidant, advisor, and all around good guy to countless students who come to him with their problems.

Mr. Anino has become a part of Lowell and its traditions and it is with profound gratitude that this Yearbook is dedicated to him."

Music was an important part of Bob's life. He was an accomplished pianist composer of pep songs and cheers, and of the music for school "Varieties" stage shows. His songs have been taped and add to the nostalgia at class reunions.

Bob was a sports enthusiast all of his life, a JV coach in his early teaching days, and subsequently became a fixture at Lowell's varsity games. His enthusiasm extended to college football and he attended nearly 50 Big Games during his lifetime.

In the spring, Bob's friends would receive an AninoGram, an itinerary of his annual trip to Europe. His love of European travel was lifelong, abetted by his natural ability with languages. Travel agents were not for him.

He planned his vacation travels the old fashioned way, by personal letter to hoteliers and B&B lodgings, where after several summers he became more than a valued customer, he became a good friend.

Lowell shared Bob's allegiance with another venerable San Francisco institution, the Boy Scouts of America. He was an Eagle Scout during the 1920's and in 1939 took over as Scout Leader for Troop 14 (1938-1949), one of the oldest troops in the city. A visit to the troop's facility in the basement of the Calvary Presbyterian Church revealed a display devoted to Mr. Anino and memorabilia from his days as Scoutmaster.

Each summer, Bob and the boys packed their gear and headed north to Cazadero and Camp Royaneh, the local Council's camp in the redwoods. For many years he was activities and program director before being appointed Camp Director responsible for a large staff and several hundred boys at summer encampment.

At his retirement dinner in 1975, the Lowell Seal and Boy Scout Emblem shared equal billing on the cover of the program. For seventy years the classroom and the campfire shared Bob's allegiance -- a loyalty that benefited three generations of young San Franciscans,

Early In 2003, the scouts of Troop 14 held their monthly meeting in their legendary Scoutmaster's retirement home. The place had never seen anything like it: young, spirited boys in uniform posting the colors and transacting business in the lounge to the delight of Bob's friends.

Mr. Anino was predeceased by his parents and sister, Grace.

Tribute -

During the last years of Mr. Anino's life, a beautiful, lifelong relationship unfolded. At Aptos JHS, he had been a role model for hundreds of students including Bob Swingley '46, a Ben Neff basketballer and Stanford graduate. For more than 50 years the two would meet occasionally but the true measure of their friendship would not surface until the Nineties when Mr. A., a bachelor, had a serious fall that incapacitated him. His parents and sister had passed away leaving him with no living relatives, nor family caregivers.

When Bob S. learned of Mr. Anino's injury, he went to his old friend's aid. Thereafter, their roles were reversed, Bob S. became, in loco parentis, his former teacher's advisor and confidant. He became Mr. A's liaison with Kaiser Hospital, sold his house and car, selected a retirement home, paid his bills and taxes, visited weekly (as did Joe Ehrman, Joan Catelli, Barbara Prato, and Paul Lucey) and at his death, administered Bob's living trust and will, including cremation and interment.

Bob Swingley's affection for his homeroom teacher was heart-warming. His caregiving allowed Mr. Anino to live his last years with dignity and peace-of-mind. It is fitting that his former student bids farewell to "Mr. Lowell" on our behalf, reverting to Aptos Anino-speak, "Abyssinia, Bob".