Bob was a kind soul and a caring, supportive father to me. I will miss him dearly. 

For those of you who lost track of him over the years, here is a short overview of the last years of his life.

Bob was a devoted husband to Karen, his second wife. When she fell ill and had to be placed in a nursing home, he would drive a good 40 minutes every single day to visit her, as her brilliant mind slowly disintegrated before his eyes. Her passing was a bitter blow for him. 

He eventually moved out of their beautiful house in Milford, NJ, which Karen had helped him restore and expand into a magnificent place. He bought the house next door to one of his best friends (Howie Swerdloff and his wife Anne) in New Brunswick, NJ. The house was nice, but it was right off of a very busy road and lacked the charm of the old country house. Still, he remained active, writing a series of autobiographical essays which he was hoping to turn into his memoirs (the project never came to fruition). 

His last years were a slow drift. Eventually, he had to move into an assisted living facility because he was no longer able to care for himself. My wife Liz and I made sure that Bob's room looked nice and we hung several of Karen's colorful Haitian paintings on his walls. The nurses would regularly come into his room to admire his gallery! 

This is where he spent his last years, as his body slowly failed him. His kidneys were no longer working so he was put on dialysis three times a week for over three long years. He was also battling skin cancer. Given the circumstances, it was remarkable that his mind remained sharp throughout, although he gradually lost his appetite for life. His passion for birding became but a distant memory, his interest in politics and current events faded as his eyesight became weaker, and the only things that still held his attention were his word games and the baseball and basketball seasons. 

I helped him with his affairs from Germany and visited him every three to six months to check on him, help with administrative tasks, and schedule medical appointments. Thankfully, Liz was able to take time off work, and we spent Bob's last days by his side. I am grateful for this time with him, as it will help me grieve.