The founder of Paso Robles Magazine, now called the Paso Robles Press, died last week after a years-long battle with a rare strain of Parkinson’s disease.

Thomas Robert “Bob” Chute Jr. passed away peacefully in his Paso Robles home on June 5. He was 77.

Chute’s three loves were his family, Paso Robles and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his home office at a previous house, he had a mural of Dodger Stadium so he could look at the stadium as he worked. He even had an authentic seat from the stadium.

After working in newspaper ad sales for several years, Chute decided to found Paso Robles Magazine in 2001. He sold the magazine when he retired in 2017.

As the founder and publisher, Chute hired writers and editors to focus on telling stories that mattered the community, whether it was highlighting Paso Robles High School students who created the mascot that adorns the school’s “spirit wall,” highlighting local events like Pioneer Day or telling the history of the city in the special edition for Paso Robles’ 125 anniversary.

“He just loved Paso. He had a lot of pride in Paso,” Kelly Lear, his youngest daughter, told The Tribune.

“He wanted the community to shine, to see the good,” Annie Van Zante, his eldest daughter, added.

Melissa Chavez, a former staff writer for the magazine, told The Tribune that Chute helped her become a better reporter and writer.

The biggest lesson she learned: Take care of business. Do it while you’re thinking about it.

Another lesson was to make contacts with everyone you met — connecting with the community was the core to the magazine.

“He was at everything, every function he could humanly go to,” Chavez said. “He showed up.”

Ben Chute, his eldest son, remembers his dad taking him along on his advertising circuit when he was around 7 or 8 years old.

“I was a little associate. I remember that very fondly, because he was very proud to show me off,” Ben Chute said.

“And I thought my dad was a big-wig in town,” he chuckled.

He cared deeply about the magazine, his family said. Before it would go to print, he would lay out the pages by hand. Finally getting a glossy cover for the magazine was a game-changer.

Chute was not only a devoted father, but also an loving grandfather, his children said. His grandchildren called him, “Gramps,” and he never hesitated to be silly with them.

“He was mature but also very immature,” Lear said. “The grandkids love him because he acts like a big kid.”

Ben and his two younger sisters recalled the silly words that were a part of their dad’s vernacular — “fantabulous,” “wowzers” and “fershur” were just a few.

Chute met his wife, Rhoda, in a hospice support group. They had both lost their spouses to cancer, and Chute had a column in the magazine at the time about navigating grief.

The column really resonated with her, she said, and inspired her to join the support group. The two started as friends, then ended up married for 19 years.

The two loved watching live music, whether it was a local band at a Paso Robles winery or Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at the Hollywood Bowl.

“I always called him a triple-A personality. He was just always on the go,” she said.

In a column titled “Just a Thought,” Chute would share his feelings and emotions on family, local and national news, and his love for Paso Robles.

In the August 2016 edition of the magazine, Chute shared a favorite quote by Henri Neuman that he wanted readers to ponder.

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”