Robert Denhardt

Dr. Robert Denhardt died on March 19, 2025, in Chandler, AZ.

Bob was born and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Though decades away from his Southern home had all but eliminated his accent, his genteel nature endured, as did his love of thoroughbreds, grits, barbecue, and libations on the veranda. He was a gentle, kind man, possessed with an easy manner and a way of making people feel good about themselves and whatever it was they were doing. He always saw the best in people and worked to help them see it too. He had a quiet, almost sneaky, sense of humor and was partial to puns and dad jokes.

Bob adored his children, Michael (Kim) and Cari (Jason), and his stepchildren, Ben Vinzant (Kim) and Mary Goodman (Michael). He was immensely proud of them, and they always knew it. He was a devoted husband, partner and friend to his wife Janet of 26 years who always knew she was one of the luckiest women on earth. His sweet nature and knack for making up children’s stories about flamingos meant Grandpa Bob was a big hit with his grandchildren: Madi, Jackson, Lily, Adeline, Elle, and Zoe. He dearly loved and will be missed by his brother, Jim (Grace), his sister, Eleanor Stuart (Randy), and their kids and grandkids. He was a loyal and generous friend and colleague to many across the United States and around the world. We are all better for having known him.

Bob loved music. He could pick a mean banjo, although he only referred to his talent as “better than average.” He also played the guitar, piano, saxophone and pretty much any other instrument you can think of. But he and the banjo were a match made in heaven, assuming you are a fan of bluegrass music. If not, that was okay too. Bob was remarkably tolerant of others’ shortcomings.

In spite of his many professional accomplishments and accolades in the field of public administration, Bob was a very humble man who could also be somewhat susceptible to flattery. His family and dear friends knew this well and were happy to indulge him occasionally because he richly deserved it. A highly respected scholar, he published more than 100 journal articles and 22 books, some of which were published in multiple languages. He was a beloved professor and university leader. He retired from the University of Southern California, where he served as professor and director of the leadership program in the Sol Price School of Public Policy. Previously, he was Regents and Emeritus Professor at Arizona State University, where he served as the Lattie and Elva Coor Presidential Chair, Lincoln Professor of Leadership and Ethics, and Director of the School of Public Affairs. While at ASU, Bob played a critical role in the creation of the Marvin Andrews Fellowship for local government management aimed at training the next generation of aspiring city managers. Prior to joining the faculty at ASU, he was the Charles P. Messick Professor of Public Administration at the University of Delaware. He previously taught at the universities of Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, New Orleans and Central Florida. He held several major administrative positions in these universities, serving as vice provost at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia in 1990.

Bob was a Past President of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and a member of the prestigious National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), the field’s equivalent of the National Academy of Science. He was the 2004 recipient of ASPA’s Dwight Waldo Award, celebrating lifetime achievement in scholarship in public administration. He also served as a consultant to various public and private organizations and governments on leadership, civic engagement, and management.

As per his wishes, a party/celebration of life for Bob will be held this summer in Nashville with his family and friends.