"Barefoot Bob" who created and maintained a personal website popular with members of Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery groups, died January 31, 2009 in hospice care in Idaho after a lengthy illness. He was 75. Bob had been sober for more than 34 years. His sobriety date was Feb. 28, 1974.His website, "Barefoot's World," was first published on Jan. 29, 1996.
On his website, Barefoot Bob shared his insights into problems of survival - physical, mental, spiritual and political - as well as journals of his extensive travels. But it was the recovery section of Barefoot's World that drew hundreds of visitors to the website to read Bob's experience, strength, hope and understanding of his own quest for spiritual sobriety.
It was there that Barefoot Bob insisted that the 12 steps should be taken immediately as the founding members of A.A. intended, not months or years after beginning the recovery process. "How soon do you want to get well?" Bob asked his visitors.
The website provided a wealth of wisdom on A.A. history and the 12 steps, tips for how to do the steps and many other recovery tools. The site also published the Original Manuscript of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, the Manual for Alcoholics Anonymous from the Akron group No. 1, and Table Talk guide from an early West Coast group.
The site now features a memorial photo album which is a collection of photos and messages from family and friends. The website will continue and be maintained by Bob's son Casey.
Read More: Barefoot Bob's Recovery Pages
Feel free to leave a comment below.
Peace and love Bob,
and thank you for all your help and service.
mike
Boy I would love to go barefoot to meetings
I wish I could tell Bob how much his information meant to me. I have learned so much from his website. Thank you, and I will see you at the meeting in the sky.
God Bless You and your Family.
I will miss you Bob, prayers are with your family.
Mary, Michigan
LD Oct. 27, 1976
Condolences to Barefoot’s family. Many thanks for the tireless service to those of us in recovery. Your legacy will live on in all that you have touched.
Bill W and Dr. Bob would be so proud of you !
Jocelyn
Barefoot Bob … You will be missed by many. Your insights, wisdom, and resources helped many trudging the Road of Happy Destiny …
Jim H.
Irvine, CA
Sad to hear Barefoot Bob has passed away.
He didn´t know me and I only know him through his wonderful page which has been helpful many times during time in AA.
Thanks Bob!
Best regards to the family.
Bent, Denmark
Bob and his family
Thank you for many hours of amazing history, knowledge and love on your site. I offer a prayer of peace for you and your family. You will be missed. In Service with Gratitude
chuck Parkhurst
I remember one night in early sobriety, stumbling onto Bob’s site. I was feeling a ‘lil selfpity and questioning my new way of life. I typed in my sobriety date on Bob’s sobriety calculator. It returned a display of; so many weeks… so many days… hours… minutes… seconds. One final display read, so many sober breaths. As beautiful music played, I scrolled down and it said “take 1 more and remember the time I thought I’d never draw another sober breath”. “So just how bad are things today?”
With tears in my eyes I was immediately restored to the realization that God’s grace is upon me and I’m free to walk in the Sunlight of The Spirit.
The Big Book tells us that we have recovered and been given the power to help others. Bob may have quite easily saved my life that night. Tonight when on my knees I’ll asked God to give Bob a hug from a grateful sober alcoholic.
May God bless BarefootBob and comfort his family at this time; WDI
Barefoot was a very gifted person,
whose many life experiences were
very exciting. I traveled 5,000 miles,
took the long way, on my motorcycle to
meet him last summer. We spent 5-days together riding to meetings in his
1919 Model T Ford. We also spent 4-days
at an AA/Indian PowWow in Inchelium Washington,which was a totally awesome experience, which I would recommend to
anyone who can make it.
When I told Bob that I constantly have
the urge to be somwhere else, other than
where I am, he told me “Live in the moment,
my sponsor told me I’m not guaranteed
the next heartbeat” That is how he
lived his life.
“Three important things to remember,
Love, Peace, Sobriety”-Barefoot
I was traveling to Seattle a few years ago and stopped in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to meet Barefoot at his AA clubhouse. Online, he
seemed like a giant. In person he was just a
nice guy, a drunk like me who found.
Rest in peace, dear Barefoot.
Susan
My sincere sympathy to Barefoot’s family at this time of deep sorrow. Thanks Barefoot Bob for your excellent service for us in recovery.
Laerte A.
Niterói-RJ Brazil
Bob’s footprints show up throughout our archives here in Helena, MT. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Bob, though I was thousands of miles away you showed me how to walk ‘barefoot’ into sobriety.
God bless your soul.
I grew up in Browns Gulch Mt with Bob. My sympathy to his family and friends.
Oh my God. Oh My God. OH MY GOD. I weep for the World’s True Individuals. For all of us. Who now, with the passing of this rugged Brave man have inherited the individual responsibility of insuring that he is taught in public schools as a required subject for the sustaining of a republic.I have learned learned more truth from this man than any other, throughout my entire adult life. An extremely reliable source Bob was VERY special man. You will be sorely missed. I am stunned. This is the worst news of any I have heard in years. Comeback Bob, Please Come Back.