Robin “Rob” Leroy Grumbles, 77, of Kingman, Arizona, died peacefully on September 5, 2026 next to his wife, Theresa Grumbles, of 53 years. He was an authentic cowboy, rancher, gardener, faithful friend, beloved husband, father, and grandpa.
Rob was born in Bakersfield, California to Frances Leroy Grumbles and Marylyn Nee Gunther on September 15, 1948.
He moved with his family to Winden, Arizona at the age of 10 where his father farmed over 1,000 acres of alfalfa. Rob worked and managed the family farm and ranch since the age of 10. He attended Boys State and graduated in 1967 from Salome High School as their class president. He was captain of his football team and a member of the 1967 Arizona All-Star Football Team. He attended Arizona Western College in Yuma on a football scholarship then later transferred to Arizona State University to study agriculture and play football. He graduated from ASU in 1972 with a degree in Livestock Production and Management with a Minor in Agriculture Economics.
After graduation, he was employed by Eastern Arizona College and taught Veterinary Livestock Production and Range Management to Native American and non-Native students on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. This is where he met and married his wife, Theresa. Together they moved to the Hopi Reservation where Rob worked as an Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent for the University of Arizona in 1974. He transferred to Kingman in 1977 and later was promoted to Agricultural Director for Mohave County. This is where he stayed for the next 38 years and raised his family, Peter, Patrick, Cathy and Chrissy.
Outside of work, he helped coach his children’s soccer teams and supported their involvement in Boy Scouts and 4-H. He was recognized for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Hall of Fame in 2015 for excellence in agriculture and livestock. Upon retirement from the University of Arizona, he was granted Emeritus Status.
He spent the remainder of his retirement fishing, gardening, and sharing casual luncheons with friends. Rob had an amazing gift of being able to talk with anyone and made friends everywhere. He especially cherished the time he spent with his beloved wife, whether at home or traveling together on vacations. These simple moments brought him great joy and created many cherished memories with those who loved him. He will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his wife, Theresa; his sons, Peter (Claire) Grumbles of Collierville, TN and Patrick (Shannon) Grumbles of Hoover, AL; his daughters, Cathy (Kurt) Craig of Marana, AZ and Chrissy (Paul) Greer of Snowflake, AZ; and his 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Dana E. Grumbles.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, September 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, 301 E. Spring St., Kingman, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Kingman Area Food Bank in his memory.
