[Editor’s Note: The life of philanthropist Bob Lench, 84, longtime West Los Angeles College Foundation board member, who died on Nov. 7, will be celebrated on Monday at 12 noon at the college’s Fine Arts Auditorium. Dr. Chong was a close friend of Mr. Lench, and she wrote the following tribute on the day of his death. See two previous, related stories, both dated Nov. 20. Keywords: Bob Lench.]
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Who is Grandpa Bob Lench?
For those who don’t know me or him, he means the world to me.
I first met Bob Lench when I was I was the student government president at West Los Angeles College. Bob was president of the West Los Angeles College Foundation. He was always so generous with his time and his financial commitments towards the community.
I remember one time, Jimmy, Cedric, Bob and Prof. May Dubois went to dinner. Cedric’s cell phone rang and Bob said, “Young man, turn off your cell phone. We are having a dinner here.”
Cedric and I were stunned.
Bob was a man who was often quite demanding, and it was his way or the highway. Underneath his loud bark, he has an incredible compassion for the community.
I remember when Jimmy needed a sponsor for his green card, Bob was there.
In Case of Failure
Bob came with us to court. He testified that Jimmy was a hard-working man. Because of the complex immigration laws, if Jimmy ever had to resort to welfare, Bob would be financially responsible for his well-being. Of course, Jimmy is the type of man who would never be on welfare. Even when your own family these days won’t help you in that sense, Bob did without hesitation. That I will never forget.
After not seeing my mother in over 10 years, she finally decided to come down for Thanksgiving a few years ago. Bob Lench came down to meet her. He lives all the way in Culver City, and he drove all the way down to Monterey Park to celebrate Thanksgiving with us.
Last year, I was severely ill. I chose not to contact anyone or let anyone know what I was going through. I dropped out of the West Los Angeles College Foundation, and I disappeared for about six months from friends, family, etc. I’m the type of person who hides from the world when I am going through tough times because, generally, I like to deal with my problems on my own.
Grateful for the Timing
I had this gut instinct to call Bob a few weeks ago, right before my birthday. Luckily, he picked up. He said he had just returned from the Mayo Clinic and had lung cancer.
I was embarrassed to call him because he left several messages on my phone looking for me when I was sick. He never gave up on finding me. I don’t know what gave me the courage to call him that day. But I think it was God. I always felt that God watches over me and sends angels my way.
How else would I have been able to survive on my own since I was 11?
I drove to his house right away. When I saw him, he asked me what happened to me. I briefly explained to him. He turned on the news and watched the stock market drop on Bloomberg.
Placing a Loss in Context
I asked him if he was sad that he lost $450,000 in BOA stocks.
His answer was no.
“Lisa,” he said, “when I started the Bob Lench Co., American Standard bought me out at almost forty-dollars-and-something a share. Part of the agreement with American Standard was that I do not sell the stock for two years due to tax reasons. I waited. After two years, it dropped to about $17 a share. I was devastated. However, I waited. In my lifetime, I saw it go up and down. Once it hit over $70 a share. I am confident in Bank of America, and I know that it will go up.”
Then, I asked him, “Are you scared that you have lung cancer.”
“Lisa, I went through World War II,” he said. “Nothing scares me.”
There Was a Need
“Let me tell you a story,” he said when I asked him who about the Chinese people who were living in his home.
“Lisa, I first met this young Chinese lady when I wanted to learn Chinese,” he said. “She was a student at Santa Monica College. She rode the bus everyday to school, and she came to teach me Chinese. After nine years, she told me that her family was visiting from China, and she didn’t have a place for them to stay. She was roommating with someone else.
“I welcomed them into my house. They lived here for a month. Then, the young Chinese tutor found a place in downtown. But it was infested with roaches and gang violence. Thus, I fulfilled her parents’ request of being able to buy their daughter her own place.
“My realtor called and told me that there was an opening at Delores’ (Bob’s girlfriend) condo. I asked how much. The realtor said $250,000. I called Delores. I asked her how much the property was going for. She said about $400,000. I called back my realtor and said I’m buying it now.
Look How They Have Repaid Me
“I bought it for my Chinese tutor. Her family was so pleased. They couldn’t believe what I had just done. They immediately started transferring money from China into my bank account. Every day, they could only transfer $10,000 due to Chinese regulations. They already paid me back $100,000 of the money I spent.”
This is the kind of man Bob Lench was: Generous to the community, compassionate, fearless, heroic, smart, aggressive, demanding, a man who loved to tell stories, repetitive and inspiring.
I called Jimmy right away to tell him that I finally saw Bob.
Jimmy, Bob, May and I arranged to have dinner on Nov. 7.
Bob called me on Halloween day to tell me that he was sick. He needed to reschedule. Victoria was with me when he called. I had him on the speaker phone because I was driving in my car and didn’t want to get pulled over by the cops on Halloween. He sounded very weak and out of breath.
That was the last I heard from him.
A Friend Who Absconded
Today, May Du Bois called me to tell this unfortunate news.
I called Bob’s house hoping that Delores would pick up…
Then, I called Jimmy to immediately go to his house and leave a note for Delores.
He said that both of Bob’s cars were parked and his lights were turned on. But nobody answered the door. I felt hopeless because I wanted to drive down myself, but I had just gotten to Palm Desert for the holiday.
Bob not only touched my life and his Chinese tutor’s, but many lives. He helped his friend start a chair-making business. He lent his friend $60,000 only to find out later that the man had disappeared.
When I told him in 2007 that I was trying to raise money for Lisa Oshima, he asked how much I needed. I said only $500 because I raised the rest for her scholarship.
Bob’s devotion to the community has been unwavering. He sat on several boards and foundations.
Repository for His Money
He said when he died most of his money will go to the Mayo Clinic, which helped his wife when she died of cancer many years ago. He is fortunate to have met a lovely and beautiful girlfriend like Delores who takes his grumpiness. From my understanding, they are the same age.
God bless “Grandpa Bob” because he has blessed so many others with his generosity and love for all.
He also voted for Obama.
He is a diehard Democrat, and once he asked me what the heck I was doing at the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce when most of them are Republicans. I smiled. I told him the Junior Chamber is different than a regular Chamber.
Please excuse my typos and grammar. I am just so overwhelmed right now with both joy and sadness.
We will forever remember Bob Lench. He was a true hero.
P.S. Bob Lench built the entire door frames at the Bonaventure and MGM. Remember him when you visit there.
Lisa Chong may be contacted atwww.apadrc.org
