Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your objective. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson's words reflect in many ways my brother and his life. Robert had a passion for many things... gardening, cooking, opera, studying and teaching Spanish language and history, and world travel. He was creative and artistic in almost everything he did.

Even raking the leaves in the fall as a teenager, he created a painter's palette with colors of paint formed by flowers from Mom's garden... then up on the roof with a camera to record his creative efforts. With India ink and watercolors he painted beautiful still-lifes. With oils he recreated a Picasso. In the kitchen, Robert could create dishes that were as beautiful and delectable as those pictured in gourmet cookbooks. His garden was a formal English garden lined with rows of colorful flowers that bloomed from early spring to late fall. Throughout the spring and summer there would always be fresh cut flowers from the garden arranged in his home. And his home resounded with the sounds of opera as he tuned in each weekend to the Met on public radio.

As I sit writing on Robert's 48th birthday, I am comforted knowing that my brother's memory lives in my heart and in the hearts of many. I still hear his voice in my mind, and see his smile as I glance at his teddy bear sitting across my room. Today I am grateful that he is no longer in pain, but has gone to a higher place in peace. --Liz [Granberg] Barnhill, December 6, 1996

My brother Robert died on February 19, 1996 after a lengthy battle with AIDS. His companion, Daniel, cared for him with such love and devotion... He saw to it that Robert was at home among his own things, with his cats, where he could be as comfortable as possible until his death. Robert's friend and colleague, Juan Velasco, wrote a poem in his memory that was read in its original Spanish version at Robert's memorial service; it has also been translated into English. I am grateful to the Douglas County AIDS Project and to Ruth Culvahouse for their support and care, as well as to Robert's many friends who spent time with him during his illness.

Our family and friends pooled their various talents to create a panel for the AIDS NAMES PROJECT quilt.

Contributors include:

Alice Granberg (mom)	cross stitched the Jayhawk and poem squares
Ken Granberg (brother)	knitted the llamas square
Mera Granberg (niece) and Millianne Lehmann (former sister-in-law)	painted the patch-work squares commemorating degrees
Ruth Culvahouse (friend)	wrote the poem
Mary Myers (aunt)	quilted the map of Spain
Liz Granberg (sister)	cross stitched the name and date and assembled the panel
Allison Barnhill (niece)	the quarter sunflower at the top of the panel is made of Robert's ties stitched together as petals based on Allison's suggestion.

The panel was submitted to the AIDS Names Project on December 1, 1998, as a memorial for Robert. The presentation was made at the World AIDS Day ceremony sponsored by the University of Kansas and Douglas County AIDS Project at Spencer Museum of Art on the KU campus. The panel number is 5301 for those wishing to request it for a local display.

Updated February 9, 2001