Robert Douglas Kirsheman's Obituary
Robert Douglas Kirsheman, age 80, of Lutherville, MD, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 of a heart attack. He was born on January 15, 1945 to Flora Austin Kirsheman (Mother) and Louis Robert Kirsheman (Father) at Orange Memorial Hospital in East Orange, NJ.
He spent his formative years in Montclair, NJ, before attending boarding school at Pickering College in Ontario, Canada. He went on to study Economics at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY and after graduation served in the Coast Guard in Galveston, Texas. After earning his MBA from Cornell SC Johnson College of Business in Ithaca, NY he embarked on a 35 plus year career in retail management.
As he was raising his family in Fallston, MD, Bob created a garden the width of their backyard. His daughters remember eating sugar snap peas right off of the vine. Summer meant camping trips in the Apache pop-up camper, road trips along Skyline Drive, mountain hikes, and stops at historic battlefields along the way. He had ever-changing musical taste. Dancing around the living room to the Manford Mann classic Do Wah Ditty was a favorite family activity. Jazz and Folk albums from his college days lead to cassette tapes of Country and Bluegrass which lead to CDs and Reggae. Lots of travel to the Caribbean, a fascination with sea life, and a Scuba Diving Certification followed.
Bob was a family man. He loved all that Maryland had to offer, especially crabs, corn, and his beloved Baltimore Ravens. After he retired, he gave back to the community by doing acts of service. He spent time driving veterans to doctors appointments and offering free tax help. He was a charitable man, prioritizing donations to organizations close to his heart, a tradition he passed on to his three grandchildren by giving them each a $50 bill on Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday, to donate to a charity of their choice. He attended services at Grace Lutheran Church in Lutherville for many years.
Bob lived his life to the fullest. Whether it was scuba diving, traveling around the globe, planning his next trip, spending the winter months in Florida, playing a round of golf, or celebrating his beloved family time, he never wanted to miss anything life had to offer. His last wish was to be part of an eternal reef on the ocean floor as a marine habitat for fish and other forms of sea life near Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he spent so many winters with his beloved snowbird community.
He is survived by his long time love of 25 years, Joy Fricke; his daughter, Karen Kirsheman and husband Steve Wilson; his daughter Sarah Kirsheman Pagano and husband Mike Pagano; grandchildren Riley (Rile), Isabella (Bells), and Ezekiel (the Zeekster); his first wife Karol Chapman; his sister, Elizabeth Stecher; his nephew and close friend Cris Terreros and wife Lilian Terreros; his niece, Lisa Kelley; his nephews, Doug and Rob Kelley, Martín and Joaquín Terreros; and many more family members and friends who will miss him dearly.
Bob was predeceased by his mother, Flora Austin Kirsheman, his father, Louis Robert Kirsheman, and his sister, Katherine Kirsheman.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 2:00pm at Grace Fellowship Church 9505 Deereco Road, Timonium, MD 21093. Flowers and/or memorial contributions to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America https://myasthenia.givevirtuous.org/donate/donation-form are equally welcome.
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