Robert W. Ross

Bob left us on January 7 from his backyard near the pool, not with a Budweiser can in his hand as he had hoped, but a snow shovel. He had just completed the job of shoveling out from an unexpected amount of snow. He died instantly from a massive heart attack.

His working career began at Electrodyne/BD in Sharon which led him to manufacturing engineering jobs at Honeywell, Compugraphic/AGFA and back to Becton Dickenson where he retired.

After retirement, he got a part-time job delivering sharpened knives to restaurants and sub shops in the Boston area, where he was affectionately known as “Knife Man”. This job filled his life with stories about his adventures in Boston. He took this job as seriously as all the others by planning his routes on Mapquest long into the night.

His life was brightened in 2007 by a little doxi/corgi mix who he rescued from the Medfield Animal Shelter that he named Rusty. Bob and Rusty could be found almost daily at Bird Park in East Walpole (not far from where he grew up on Pilgrim Way). He made many friends there and would often be seen with a large group of dog walkers – all laughing together as their dogs waited patiently to be walked.

He is survived by his loving wife, Patti, daughter Hayley (wife, Susan) of Holbrook, sons, Scott of Spring Hill, FL, Rand, of Dorchester, daughters Rebecca (husband, Steven Preto) of Walpole, Jennifer Diem (husband, Richard Heinricher) of Blackstone, and his adoring grandsons, Jackson, Connor and Lucas Preto. His “best dog in the whole wide world” misses him terribly.

Bob was the son of Donald and Helen (Tausevich) Ross (both deceased) of East Walpole, his brother, Donald (wife, Cynthia) of Nashua, NH, his brother, Gordon (wife Beverly) of Norfolk. He is also survived by nephews, his uncle, and many cousins in this area and Oregon.

He loved to work on the house that he built in 1978. It was always a work in progress. He was a natural cartoonist. He loved to leave funny drawings on pads of paper or in the newspaper. He never talked about them but left them to be found spontaneously. A home body at heart, he also enjoyed trips he made to England and Ireland, Alaska, Nova Scotia and Florida. He was full of fun. His warm nature attracted people to him everywhere. He was never at a loss for words or opinions.

He was deeply loved and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Bob’s Life Celebration on Thursday, January 13, 2021 from 5 to 7 PM in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

His funeral service will take place privately, with interment taking place in Knollwood Memorial Park in Canton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Friends of Bird Park