Robert Douglas Galbraith

Robert Douglas Galbraith, fondly known as Bob, was born on January 17, 1947, in San Francisco, California. He was the second of six children born to parents Nelson Weaver and Josephine Grace Galbraith. As a child, Bob had a natural talent for music and learned to play the violin easily. By the time he was in High School he could play the violin, piano, organ, trombone and French horn. Bob was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at the age of sixteen after being impressed by a friend’s class presentation about the church in school. He always stayed true to his testimony throughout his life. He served an LDS mission for the church in London, England from January 1968 – January 1970. Part of his responsibilities included writing and arranging music to be sung and performed with three other missionaries in nearby chapels to share their testimonies through song and example. One song he wrote in particular, “The Prophets” is still sung at the British Missionary Reunions, 50 years later.

Bob graduated from Brigham Young University – Provo with a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance. After graduation he played violin with the Utah Symphony where he met his wife and love of his life, Janet Groesbeck. They were married on January 30, 1973, in the Salt Lake City, UT temple. After their wedding, Bob and Janet moved to Menlo Park, CA where Bob played violin in the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. In 1977, Bob decided to get a master’s degree in Violin Performance, and began school at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Between 1977 and 1985, Bob, Janet and their growing family, would spend the Fall of each year in Menlo Park, CA where Bob played in the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, and the Spring and Summer of each year in Bloomington, IN for school. Bob was a master of many trades and enjoyed various projects such as designing and building three homes throughout his life, engineering a backyard retaining wall to protect from erosion, or cultivating bountiful backyard vegetable gardens, to name a few. Bob always took the opportunity to share his friendship and the love of our Savior with others. His music was inspiring to many people, and several of his compositions have been performed by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. 

In May 2007, Bob and Janet served a one-year mission at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Israel where he directed the BYU student choir every week at church services, and gave organ demonstrations to tour groups each day. In 2013 after playing with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra for forty years, Bob and Janet retired and moved to Kaysville, UT where Janet still resides. 

Bob was an incredibly talented musician, husband, father and friend. He loved his family dearly and was always an example of truth and goodness. His spirit will be missed by all who know him. 

Bob is survived by his wife, Janet Groesbeck Galbraith, children Brian Cameron Galbraith, Jeffrey Clinton Galbraith, Steven Boyd Galbraith, Heather Galbraith Andrew, Amy Galbraith Drake, and siblings: Richard Galbraith, Donald Galbraith, Bonnie Galbraith Williamson and David Galbraith. 

A viewing for Bob will be held on Friday, August 23rd 2024 at Russon Mortuary at 1941 N. Main Street, Farmington, UT 84025 from 6-8pm. Funeral services will be held on August 24th, 2024 in the LDS Chapel at 201 South 600 East, Kaysville, UT starting at 11:00am with a viewing beforehand from 9:45am – 10:45am.

The services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page below, where it will appear 10-15 minutes prior to the service at 11:00am.