Robert Warren ‘Bob’ Lytle 1926 - 2010

Robert Warren “Bob” Lytle, 84, of Cottonwood, Arizona, passed away December 13, 2009, in Mesa, Arizona, from prostate cancer.

A lifelong outdoorsman, automobile aficionado and racer, Bob was born Sept. 21, 1925, in Ontario, California, to Charlotte Acres Lytle and Harold A. Lytle. After graduating from Hollywood High School, he served in the Navy from 1944-1947 in the South Pacific during WWII as a motor machinist mate on the USS LSM-396. After discharge from the Navy, he first worked at his father’s garage in Hollywood and progressed through jobs of increasing responsibility at Buick, Packard, Chrysler-Desoto, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Consolidated Leasing before establishing a career at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California as their fleet manager, retiring in July, 1986.

His passion for automobiles and motor sports caused Bob to own or build dozens of cars during his lifetime, from Baja Bugs in which he ran the Baja 500 on a number of occasions, to his signature Allard J2X number 65, which he raced in historic sports car races at virtually every major Formula One track in North America, up until a few months before his death. As the historian for the Allard Register, Bob also became the keeper of the Allard factory records and the go-to resource to determine the history of virtually every Allard car ever built. He was also interested in all things mechanical, especially historic engines - “old iron” as he put it - and was an enthusiastic member of the Arizona Fly Wheelers.

Bob had friends quite literally all around the world, from England to New Zealand. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Lytle of Apache Junction, Arizona, daughters Deborah Greenlee (David) of Arlington, Texas, and Diane Anderson (Andy) of Tomball, Texas, grandchildren Aron Finn, Joshua Greenlee, Michael, Megan, Stephen, Merritt, and Gillian Anderson, and four great-grandchildren.

Private internment. Per Bob’s instructions, no memorial service has been planned.

Information provided by survivors