Robert “Bob” Lawrence Clary, age 90, of Bradenton, Florida, and formerly of Bradley, Illinois, passed away on May 25, 2024, near Tampa, FL.
Visitation will take place on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home in Bourbonnais from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A funeral Mass will take place at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, in Bradley, at 10:00 am on June 5, 2024 with burial following at All Saint’s Cemetery in Bourbonnais.
Bob was born in Elgin, Illinois on November 13, 1933, the fourth of four children born to Arthur Lawrence and Frances Virginia (Harper) Clary.
Bob met his wife, Patricia Joan Gulczynski while in grade school in Bradley, Illinois and they married soon after Patricia graduated from high school, on October 11, 1953.
Bob proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955, serving in the Korean War, where he completed 25 missions as a tail gunner on a B-26.
He was a longtime member of the American Legion, VFW and a 3rd Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus.
Following his military service, he returned to Bradley, Illinois. In 1962 Bob and Pat and his young and growing family moved to Colorado where they lived at times in Colorado Springs, Nederland and Vail. In 1972 the family returned to Bradley, Illinois. In 1981 he and Pat and their youngest child, Jane, moved to Florida where Bob resided for most of the many remaining years with which he was blessed.
He was employed most of his working life at AT&T, later Lucent Technologies, in various positions, including manager of the phone company when residing in Vail, Colorado. After earning his retirement at age 55, he started his own telecommunications business and worked this for 7 years.
One of Bob’s passions was woodworking and home improvement. He remodeled many of the homes they lived in and many of his friends and relatives.
His wife, Pat, passed away too soon in 2000 at the age of 64. Soon after her death, he moved to Brandon, Florida, and later to Bradenton, Florida.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Mary Shannon, Dorothy Setmire and Betty Stowe, and his eldest child, Michael John Clary.
He is survived by his daughters, Bobbie (Vince) Ganley of Spring Branch, Texas, Diane (David) Rice of Temperance, Michigan and Jane (Michael) Corba of Brandon, Florida, son, Dion (Susan) Clary of Glen Ellyn, Illinois and daughter-in-law, Donna Clary of McMinnville, Tennessee in addition to 16 grandchildren, and many great and great-great grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 211 N. Center, Bradley, IL 60915 or Lifepath Hospice, 12470 Telecom Dr. Suite 301, Temple Terrace, FL 33637.
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