Bob Bosley Was A True Community Volunteer
Jan 20, 2011 12:01 - 3 Comments
This tribute was written by Craig Cano and we are honored to share the good works of Bob Bosley with the community. Our condolences to his family in their time of grief.
Robert M. Bosley, 82, a resident of Rockville for 53 years, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones on January 14, 2011, after a battle with cancer.
Bob was born Dec. 10, 1928, in Baltimore County. He grew up in Emory Grove and attended Franklin High School in Reisterstown. Following graduation, at 17 years of age he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the 8th Army in Tokyo/Yokohama.
Following his military service, Bob was employed by JC Penney in Westminster, MD before working 42 years as an insurance agent with Home Beneficial Life. He was the most-recognized qualified sales agent in the company’s history, achieving that status 38 times, and he served as president of the Suburban Maryland Life Underwriters Association.
Bob was a charter member of the Westminster Jaycees and a Jaycee of the Year in both Westminster and Rockville.
A long-time member and head usher at Rockville United Methodist Church, Bob lived a life of service. He volunteered to help others through several organizations, including Lifeline at Suburban Hospital, the Rockville HELP Food Bank, Metro Maryland Ostomy Association and the American Cancer Society. He received numerous awards, including Volunteer of the Year, and was president emeritus of board of directors of the American Cancer Society of Montgomery County.
As a member of the Rockville Lions Club for 40 years, Bob served as president and in numerous other leadership roles, was twice named Lion of the Year, and became a Lion of the Years. He was a multiple recipient of a Melvin Jones Fellow, the highest recognition bestowed by Lions Club International Foundation for “dedicated humanitarian service.” He also held several leadership positions in Lions District 22-C and was named to the district’s Honor Roll.
Bob helped launch several new Lions Clubs, including Montgomery County Latino Club and D.C. Special Olympics Club, which in December honored him as “Guiding Lion Emeritus” with a presentation of a Gold Medal from the 2003 Special Olympics World Games in Ireland, where Bob had helped perform vision screening for athletes from around the world.
For several years, Bob worked closely with the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver at a summer camp, held on her estate in Potomac, to give children with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to interact with typical children and other volunteers.
Bob was preceded in death by parents Anna Hagan and Robert M. Bosley, Sr. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Evelyn Franck Bosley; sisters Marie King of Westminster and Joan Leppo of Hanover, PA.; daughter, Sharon Crandol (Thomas) of Crofton MD; son Greg Bosley (Laura) of Westminster; three grandchildren, Stacy Webb (James), Ashley Paesch (Bo) and Robert T. Bosley; and two great grandchildren, Remington and Riley Figliozzi.
A memorial service will be held January 29 at 2 p.m. at Rockville United Methodist Church, 112 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bob’s name may be made to the church or the Rockville Lions Club Foundation, P.O. Box 1252, Rockville, MD 20849.
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Bob Bosley was the face of volunteerism in Rockville. He was the one who as a volunteer,installed the Lifeline at my mothers apartment, sold me grapefruit to support Lions Club, always showed up with posters for the Lions Pancake Breakfast and then bought tickets to our Kiwanis Breakfast, was an inspiration at Relay For Life and was always the kindest and most gentle man. It was a privilege to know him.
I personally worked with Bob on many Relays in our community. His dedication to the American Cancer Society and his many other volunteer efforts in the community is an inspiration to all of us. He was truly a “gentle man.” I am so glad that Judy, Sandi and I visited him a week before he passed. To show his still “sense of humor” he put on the funny hat he wore to the Relays (the one with the long pigtail hanging in the back.) It was a wonderful evening talking about the years gone by that we all worked together. Our prayers go out to Evelyn..She is so fortunate to have had Bob in her life all these years.
We will miss him everyday. It was always him that cut the turkey at Christmas, he always called it the bird. He and I always got a drumstick. He is the one thats always blessed our dinners. I remember back along time ago when I was much younger riding somewhere in the car with him listening to the radio, the song,”Don’t it make my brown eyes blue”, by Crystal Gail came on and he turned it up and started singing. I just heard that song yesterday. How nice that it came on , I could think about that moment again. He was always smiling or laughing. We connected alot when I had one of the same surgeries he had. he coached me through it all, and helped with my recovery. We used to make jokes about it alot. He loved his Neil Diamond , he had so much of his music and got us all into it. He was a Sagitarius like me, I always thought that was neat. I loved getting cards from them, he would always be the one to make sure he signed his name, on every card. We will miss him alot, a big part of the family is missing but not the memories that will keep going on forever. I love you granddad, Stacy