Robert Sturgis

Robert “Bob” L. Sturgis, 78, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015 at his home of 49 years in Florence. The fourth of five children born to Mary and John Sturgis in Cincinnati, OH, Bob graduated from Central High School in 1954 and began working at Shillito’s in 1955. He met Ruth Ann Kroth in Shillito’s marking room, and the two stayed in regular communication even after Bob joined the United States Air Force in 1956. Based out of Dover, Delaware and stationed at Lajes Field in the Azores, Bob served as a flight specialist working on the C-124 Globemaster. He courted Ruth Ann via handwritten letters and 30-day leaves before marrying her on Thanksgiving Day, 1960. He was honorably discharged from the USAF in 1962. Civilian jobs that followed included positions at Crown Zellerbach Paper and St. Paul Parish. Bob retired in 1997 from Remke Markets. Bob was a devout “cradle” Catholic. As a parishioner at St. Paul Parish in Florence, Bob was actively involved with the festival committee, the Boy Scouts, and the church choir. In 1989, Bob and his family joined Mary, Queen of Heaven Parish in Erlanger; he served as an usher at MQH for nearly 25 years, in addition to serving on the gardening committee and community service group. Bob also actively volunteered in the wider community and particularly loved “working” in United Ministries’ thrift shop, where he was a customer favorite and known to all the children as “Mr. Bob.” He logged as many as 800 volunteer hours per year in recent years, and, despite health issues, even logged 500 hours in 2013. Bob is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ruth Ann; daughters Laura (Todd) Evans, Karen (Tod) Vanover, and Anne Sturgis; grandchildren Amanda (Brad) Villanueva, Andrew Boyers, Karrie (Glenn) Ewing, Alex Boyers, Taylor Evans, and Bentley Vanover; and great-grandchildren Emma and Collin Villanueva. He is also survived by sister Inez (James) Groat and numerous nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by parents Mary and John; brothers John and Eugene; and sister Mary Ann.
Visitation will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 28 at Mary, Queen of Heaven Parish in Erlanger, KY. Mass of Christian Burial will immediately follow. Interment will be held at St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky (200 Home Road, Covington, KY 41011; www.chnk.org), Our Savior Church (246 East Tenth Street, Covington, KY 41011), or United Ministries (PO Box 18430, Erlanger, KY 41018-0430; www.umnky.org). Online condolences can be made at www.linnemannfuneralhomes.com.