Dr. Robert John (Bob) Colbern, DDS, 85, of Oxnard, California, passed away on February 4 th , 2021 at Saint John’s Hospital, Oxnard, California. Dr. Colbern was born in Whittier, California to Flavius and Clara Colbern on January 23 rd , 1936. He went to high school at Oxnard High and graduated in 1954. He then attended the University of Southern California for two years and transferred to Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, where he earned a dental degree in 1960. Dr. Colbern then entered the Army for two years, based in Fort Smith,
Arkansas, and would have been part of the invasion forces for Cuba if the Cuban Missile Crisis had become a war. After leaving service with the active Army, Dr. Colbern moved to Oxnard, California and started private practice as a dentist, specializing in endodontics. In 1982, Dr. Colbern was offered the rank of Colonel by the US Army in exchange for joining the Reserves. Dr. Colbern accepted and was an Army Reservist for 19 years until his retirement from the Army in 2001.
Dr. Colbern had many interests and hobbies, including military history, genealogy and history of the Colbern family, traveling, fishing, camping, boating, woodworking, and serving in military clubs such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Organization of the World Wars, Sons of the American Revolution, and The American Legion. He received several honors from the military for exceptional work and for participation in several Army operations, including an exchange of medical information with Bangladesh. Dr. Colbern participated actively in the Catholic Church and was very involved in their charitable efforts, including feeding the homeless.
Dr. Colbern is survived by his wife, Elaine Colbern his son, Steven Colbern, daughter Janet Snyder, grandchildren Garrett Colbern, Scott Colbern, Noelle
Colbern, Tomas Snyder, Jesse Snyder, Jennifer Otani, Robert Dean Otani, nephew Matthew Colbern and nieces Gail Colbern and Nancy Frank. He is preceded in death by his parents Flavius and Clara Colbern and his brother Dr. Edwin Colbern. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The American Legion Post 741, Camarillo, CA.