Robert Gelderman

Robert R. Gelderman (known affectionately as “Beeg”) of Chestertown, MD, died on Thursday, March 16, 2017 at Heron Point of Chestertown. He was 87. Born on April 23, 1929, in Evanston, IL, he was the son of the late Godfrey John and Florence Thiel Gelderman. He first graduated from Loyola Academy, in Chicago, Class of 1947, and then attended Marquette University in Wisconsin, where he majored in advertising and sales and graduated in 1951. He married Anita Ruth Miller on July 12, 1952. Bob and Anita and their growing family lived in the Chicago suburban area until 1968, when they moved to Riverside, CT. During this time, Bob worked in sales and his business associations included Container Corporation of America, Metro Mail, O. E. McIntyre, Gorman Publishing, and Independent Publishing. He twice served as Vice President of his company and retired in 2000. He often noted that among his customers he made many lifelong friends. In 1985, he and his wife moved to Chestertown, MD, where he was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He was active in the Chester River Yacht and Country Club and played golf with MISGA. Bob had varied interests including golfing, boating, woodworking, and his family. He was the published author of The Yellow Dog With One Bad Eye, a book about his yellow lab, Charlie. He considered himself a very successful hunter, because even though he never shot a deer, his freezer was always full of venison. Bob was always active in water safety. As a member of the Power Squadron in Connecticut, he taught numerous courses and performed boat inspections. As an active member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Bob supported operations at Sector Baltimore, and patrolled the waters of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay. He received multiple citations and separated from the service as a commander. He is survived by his children, Anne Livie of Seattle, WA; Peter Gelderman (Laurie) of Trumbull, CT; Patrick Gelderman (Harriet) of Brookfield, CT; Jeannie Gelderman of Chestertown, MD; Mary Carroll (Kevin) of Westport, CT; and Susan Weir (Jay) of Skaneateles, NY; eleven grandchildren, Rebecca Schopfer, Kristin English, Katie Pfeifle, Quinton Gelderman, Geoffrey Gelderman, James Newnam, Ryan Smith, Collin Carroll, Claire Carroll, Oliver Weir and Miller Weir; two great-grandchildren, Owen English and Lily Pfeifle, and his brother, Larry Geldermann of Heartland, WI. He is preceded in death by his wife, Anita, and his brothers, John T. Geldermann and Thomas A. Geldermann. He is remembered with great love by his many nieces and nephews. Following the loss of their respective spouses, Bob reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Anne McDonnell. Bob and Anne enjoyed five years of special friendship and enriched each other’s lives and families with love and humor. Bob said of their relationship, “In the twilight of my life, God has given me a beautiful sunset.” Bob was beloved throughout his life by his many friends who appreciated his kindness, openness, and sense of humor. He believed that a person can choose to be happy, and he exercised that choice freely and frequently. He was generous with his time, attention, and special treats such as his homemade beef jerky and peppermint ice cream. A memorial mass will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at 11:00 am, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 508 High Street, Chestertown, MD. Interment will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, in care of MSRCNY, 521 West 57th St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019 or by visiting their website, www.msrcny.org.

Robert Gelderman

April 23, 1929 - March 16, 2017