A volunteer leader of the Kairos program at San Quentin died April 16 at his Santa Rosa home of Leukemia at the age of 80.
He was Robert “Bob” A. Stratton, a long-time leader of the Cursillo Christian movement which sponsored the Kairos program.
Stratton was a Navy submariner and letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.
Stratton helped found Redwood Empire Cursillo, bringing the group’s weekend retreats to Sonoma County.
“I think it was a life-changing event for him,” said his wife, Carol Stratton of Santa Rosa. “It seemed to help get him in touch with his spirituality.”
He visited San Quentin about once a month with his wife and stayed in touch with parishioners he met there for decades.
“That really made an impact on the lives of the inmates, a couple of whom I had an opportunity to meet here last month,” said Stratton’s son, Tim Stratton. They described Stratton as a good listener who helped them figure out how to change their lives, Tim Stratton said.
“He taught us all to wrestle — not that big-time stuff you see on TV, but real wrestling,” Tim Stratton said.
Stratton also spent his retirement meeting with friends made while carrying letters and volunteering as a docent at the USS Pampanito in San Francisco.
In addition to his wife Carol and son Tim, Stratton is survived by sons Bob Stratton of Santa Rosa and Brian Stratton of Dixon, brother Bill Stratton of Lewiston, Penn., three grandsons and a great-granddaughter.