Bob Daley, veteran, family man, foodie, accomplished traveler, and hopeless romantic, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 31, 2020 due to cardiac arrest while being treated for multiple pulmonary embolisms.
Bob was born November 3, 1945 to Charles (Budd) and Janet Daley in Chicago, IL. He is survived by his mother, Janet, 96, of Alma, MI; his wife of 50 years, Rebecca (Fleming) Daley; his two sons, daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren: Jason and MaeLeigh Daley and their two children, River and Jude, and Ted and Stephanie Daley and their two children, Angelina and Tristan, all of Fort Smith, AR.
Bob served three years of active duty for the US Army in the Vietnam war. Despite his loyal and enduring service to his country, he relentlessly grappled with the after-effects of war. He silently struggled in ways that many of us can only imagine. His gravitation toward the beauty and joys of life was a testament to his ability to overcome great conflict and seek healing through active and purposeful living. Upon returning from the war, he graduated with honors from Michigan State University, earning a B.S. degree in psychology and labor & industrial relations.
Bob was a loving husband, father, son, and grandpa. He loved his family dearly and he was admired by his sons and four grandkids. He commented often about how beautiful his granddaughters, Angelina and River, were. He called his youngest grandson, Jude, “Spike”, due to his rock-star spikey hair at birth. And Tristan was his little three year-old buddy, Bob’s little shadow. He loved, admired, and deeply respected his sons, Jason and Ted. He said often with a twinkle in his eye how incredibly proud he was of both of his boys.
Bob owned numerous, worn-out, food-stained cookbooks packed with newspaper clippings of all his favorite recipes and recipes he wanted to try. His love and appreciation for comfort food was legendary. Whether you were in the mood for a really great spaghetti dinner or a cozy bowl of shrimp étouffée, Bob knew exactly which book to grab and flipped right to the recipe he knew would not disappoint. He had his staples like gochujang Korean barbeque chicken wings and filet mignon topped with Tawny port and cherry glaze, and he gained immense satisfaction out of trying new recipes as well. And if you were planning a trip, he’d tell you exactly where to stop for a bite to eat and what to order. As a point of pride, he purported to remember every meal he had eaten in his nearly 75 years of life.
For work, Bob had to travel often. He had driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a matter of 10 or 15 years. He was always sure to seek out the best steak in town paired with a tall beer. He knew all the back roads and short cuts and would verbally walk us through how to get from here to there for an upcoming road trip. He never did learn to use GPS. He insisted on keeping it old school.
Bob was a ‘hopeless romantic’. Whether it was a song, movie, television show, things of/in nature, or a beautiful woman, he always had some form of beauty on his mind. Most notably, he talked often about all the different scenery from a recent family trip to Michigan. The lakes. The sand dunes. The sunsets. He reminisced that week often. He also loved the movie “A Star is Born” – specifically the passionate performance of “Shallow” at the Oscars. He must have talked about that for a full year! He had lighthearted crushes on many captivating actresses, and could recount their film history with zeal. Bob always did have an eye for exquisite and enchanting beauty.
Due to the pandemic upon us and the heightened risk of spread, we are postponing a memorial service for this cherished man until safety merits. We know Bob would want us to wait until we can all gather safely somewhere beautiful.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Vietnam Veterans of America at https://vva.org/donate/ to support service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound while serving in the military. Vietnam Veterans of America promotes and supports the full spectrum of issues important to Vietnam veterans.
Finally, the family asks that in honor of Bob you take a moment to pause each day and reflect on the beauty of the world. We know it can be hard in times like we are facing today, but Bob knew how important it was to be thankful for what you have and to find beauty in the moment. He knew how to let go of negative feelings and to love everyone around him regardless of their differences. Find beauty in the world -- for Bob.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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