Robert Keith Hartzell

Bob spent the first 14 years of his life on Applegate Ave. in Spotswood, New Jersey with his parents Bob and Linda Hartzell and siblings, Kim, Todd and Troy. It was a different era then and most kids had a lot of freedom and when not in school, he spent time exploring the woods and brooks near the neighborhood, building forts, camping out in the back yard, riding his bike to the Comic Book Store and playing war or kick ball. Bob did not sit still very often and his mechanical and entrepreneurial skills were apparent very early on when he started buying old broken down mini-bikes to restore and sell. He was always buying and trading his beloved comic books and worked at his father’s gas stations pumping gas. He was lucky to have a great neighborhood and a large extended family who gathered often for pool parties and celebrations.

His life changed when his parents divorced in 1975 and he moved to Florida. He attended Largo High School and worked a variety of jobs throughout his high school career including washing cars at his uncle’s funeral home and stocking shelves at Winn Dixie. As a high school wrestler, he went to the state finals. In his senior year, his father was in a serious car accident and Bob moved back to New Jersey to help at his father’s carburetor shop during his recovery. He graduated from Monroe Township High School and continued to learn the carburetor business. He moved back to Florida and opened Guaranteed Carburetors in 1980. The shop has truly been a family business since day one with numerous family members working at any given time including his mother, Linda who managed the office until her retirement and his nephew Jared. Currently, his brother Troy, cousin Paul, and nephew Donovan are ensuring the shop lives on despite the loss of its leader.

Bob has always made bringing the family together a priority and has hosted family gatherings from the very beginning. He was the ultimate host who never missed a detail and was dedicated to making sure each of his guests felt welcome and pampered. This caring and giving attitude extended far beyond parties and family. He helped family and friends obtain their goals and dreams, supported them during crisis and found ways to make sure they had great experiences in their lives. We will never know the extent of this help and support as it was provided without fanfare and often anonymously. Although the business kept him very busy, Bob found time for a few hobbies. He had a boat, he enjoyed water skiing, hang gliding and sky diving, as well as playing darts. He volunteered one day a week as a truck driver at Hospice picking up donations throughout the area and at Hammock Park in Dunedin removing invasive plants.

Meeting his wife Linda at the Largo High 20th class reunion in 1999 changed his life forever. They married in 2000 just before his 40th birthday and he went from a confirmed bachelor to instant father of Ryan, Megan and Conor who ranged in age from 2-8 years old. Bob and Linda loved to travel and celebrated her birthday each year with a trip that typically centered on mountain hiking. They looked forward to finding exceptional fine dining experiences after their long days of hiking. Back home in Tampa Bay, they were also members of the Krewe of the Santa Margarita and loved throwing beads during the many parades.

Bob loved Halloween and everyone enjoyed his creative and often hilarious costumes. Bob was extremely creative and was always looking for the next big business opportunity. There are more than one hundred yellow legal pads in his home office, each with a different idea and notes that he worked on over the years. Bob was a huge movie fan and went to see all the new releases, usually during the day and solo. His movie viewing was serious business and he didn’t want to be distracted. It inspired him to write a screenplay and several short stories.

Family meant everything to Bob and he liked to gather them together whenever possible. The group would include both of their parents, step-parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and close friends. Bob spent his life making sure all of them were loved and cherished. Bob impacted so many lives and his family and friends cannot begin to imagine a life without him. He was stubborn and did not like anyone to reciprocate his generosity, however, if you would like to honor his memory with a donation, please consider the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to continue research into better treatments for patients like Bob.