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Scottsville, NY. September 7, 1913 – March 3, 2016. Bob was born to immigrant parents and raised in Savannah, Georgia with his five brothers and sisters. After Savannah he entered Georgia Tech and signed into ROTC, which along with several jobs provided the ability to complete his education as an engineer and with a commission as an officer in the US Army. The unfortunate involvement in WWII coincided with graduation and he saw duty first in Washington, DC which only lasted a short time before the Pacific/Asian conflict took him to India and then Burma for several years’ life in the jungle. At the end of the war he was welcomed home by his first wife, Gretchen whom he had married only days before shipping out.
After active service Bob and Gretchen settled in Rochester to pursue his engineering career at Eastman Kodak and foster his interest in photography by also returning to school at RIT. The Kodak career involved much R&D on such projects as Verifax and his many years developing top secret photographic elements of the “Corona” surveillance satellites. His sideline photographic business also flourished for many years and he remained active in the Army Reserve and retired as Colonel after 30 years service.
His life was much more than employment and business. Through the years he built his first aqua-lung from surplus aircraft parts which instilled the diving bug: good sense quickly brought better equipment. He learned to fly gliders and started skiing in his ‘40s. Always a tinkerer there were always projects around the house and was known for his maroon ’67 Corvette fastback which he drove nearly 300K miles. After separation from Gretchen, Bob married Karen with whom he enjoyed life until her untimely passing four years ago.
Bob helped establish the Scottsville Rotary Club and served them and the community into his ‘90s, especially the Rotary Youth Exchange. Bob and Karen not only assisted the program but also hosted numerous students in their home. Love of life and helping others find this joy was their passion, skiing in the winter and travel, visiting Europe, skiing the Alps and Canadian Rockies and reconnecting with the family in the south all contributed to his well rounded life. Bob was closing in on 100 when Karen died after which he lived out a quiet life at home until his death.
Bob is predeceased by his parents, brothers and sisters and his wife Karen. He is survived by son, Robert (Susan), daughters Alexandra (Brent) and MeeRa plus grandchildren Michael (Laura), Stacey (Chris), Jin, Seu, and MaeLee, four great grandchildren and many more in his diverse and spread family.
Services will be held at the Union Presbyterian Church, Scottsville in April and details will be announced in this paper. Contributions in lieu of flowers will be welcomed by the Scottsville Rotary Club, P.O. Box 85, Scottsville, NY 14546, to the newly established “Robert and Karen Memorial Fund” which will help expand the reach and support of the youth exchange program.