Robert G. Martin

His life began very humbly on the South Side of Chicago, and those foundational years formed Bob into a man of deep faith that ultimately guided him throughout his life. A graduate of St. Ignatius High School in Chicago, Bob attended John Carroll University where he was especially proud to have been the founding President of the Iota Chi Epsilon fraternity. Despite his numerous college activities, he made time for a blind date with Rita that led to their lifelong union of 60+ years. After graduation, Bob served in the US Marines, was an officer in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and he was stationed in California at Camp Pendleton with Rita and three kids in tow.

Wanting to be near their families, Bob and Rita made the decision to pack up the car and head back east to Chicago. Bob attended DePaul University where he graduated with his JD. In 1963, after a short time in real estate, Bob found his calling – a lifelong career as a grain trader at the Chicago Board of Trade. In the midst of all of this, their family grew. Bob’s family was undoubtedly his greatest joy, and he and Rita were blessed with a full house of six children.

Bob’s most memorable gift was his sense of humor, and his biggest motivation was to bring an unexpected smile to a stranger’s face. His creative mind left folks in awe (while laughing) with how lightning-fast he came up with loaded one-liners. He spread those smiles far and wide – it was no easy task to keep up on Bob’s whereabouts. He enjoyed spending his summers watching the waves crash in Michigan and enjoyed his winters in the dry heat of Arizona. But whatever the season or wherever the locale, Bob’s favorite place to be was with his family and his many friends. He enjoyed traveling the world and will be remembered for making connections with everyone he met. Most certainly, Bob will be remembered as a devoted Chicago White Sox fan creating decades of hilarious memories with his family at ballgames. We cannot say heaven has gained another angel, but we can say that heaven will be a lot more fun.

To know Bob meant knowing you had someone in your corner, encouraging you, “YOU CAN DO IT!” while making you laugh, “TAKE YOUR TIME, BUT HURRY UP!”. He leaves behind our family that misses him dearly, but he also leaves behind memories that will keep us smiling for a lifetime.

Bob was a loving husband to Rita (nee Condon);

A devoted Father of the late Robert II (Carol), Rose (Paul) Schneider, Renee (Paul) Johnson, Rhonda (Ed) Slingsby, Randy (Dawn) and Ryan (Maura);

Cherished Grandfather to Meghan, Robert III, Colleen, Ryan, Emma, Trey, James, Thomas, Jessica, Michael, Honora, Clare, Patrick, Irene, Breda, and Mae;

Dearest Son of the late George and Margaret (nee Cloutier);

Fond Brother of the late Therese Knox and Laurence;

Fun-loving Uncle to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Colorado Vincentian Volunteers

https://covivo.org/

or

(VER) Volunteer Eye Resources

https://www.verinternational.org/