Bob Orser (1933-2025)

Posted by the Berkeley Morris Facebook page 7/17/25

The Bay Area dance and folk community has lost one of its most involved and longstanding members. Bob Orser passed on the evening of July 3, 2025 at the age of 92, in the company of his wife and family. Bob danced for 42 years with Berkeley Morris and as of this writing was its longest-tenured member.

During his long time on the team, Bob was a reliable and considerate teammate. He took special care to write up dance notes for others to learn from. He was also welcoming and curious, always managing to get to know guests and new team members before anyone else. As a performer, Bob particularly loved dancing one of our homegrown dances, Grandfather's Clock (Fieldtown tradition), especially when he was the only actual grandfather on the team. He also loved dancing Princess Royal (Fieldtown) in a double jig with a younger dancer, demonstrating beauty in diversity. Bob was a whiz at counting and frequently noticed details others might miss, such as counting 96 capers (high jumps) in Black Joke (Bledington). With his education in geography, Bob was always ready with an alternate route to a gig or an Ale in case of traffic or road construction.

Bob also danced with Seabright Morris and performed Longsword with Emperor Norton's Fire Brigade and Hose Company #2. He loved English Country Dancing (ECD) and contra dancing and attended countless Bay Area Country Dance Society events. Sir Robert of Dunharrow was a Knight in the SCA, where he was a founding member. He impressed the Queen with his dancing so much that she commanded he perform regularly; this was the origin of Blue Rose Morris. Bob was Captain of the Queen's Guard at the Northern California Renaissance Faire, where he also danced ECD with the Merrie Pryanksters.

Bob was an avid hiker and camper who climbed mountains. He helped generations of kids learn as a teacher in the Berkeley public schools, and was a veteran who served our country. Bob was part of the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley, and was an outspoken opponent of the current administration.

In the words of his beloved wife Teri, "This was a man who deeply loved and enjoyed life. He treated people as people and he always saw them as they were. His life was long and well-lived and he had a blast as he went. There were tragedies as well as triumphs, but he weathered them all."

Bob's final danceout with Berkeley Morris was in 2024 at Ardenwood, and we've been missing him at practice ever since. We'll think of Bob often, especially when we perform Grandfather's Clock, and on May Morning when we raise his antlers for the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. Morris dancers like to encourage each other’s capering by shouting “Higher! Higher!” This is Bob’s highest caper of all.�

We'll send out details for a memorial celebrating Bob as information becomes available