The family will receive friends and family from 5 to 8 PM, Friday, September 6th at Zechar-Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville. The burial will take place on Saturday at 11:00 AM in the Greenville Cemetery followed by a commemorative gathering at The Merchant House on Broadway in Greenville. All are invited to attend.
Robert, known to most as Bob, was born May 3, 1938 in Bath County Kentucky to Mabel (Nealis) and Emory Colliver. After attending grade and middle school in Marion, IN, he graduated from Marion High in 1956. On January 23, 1960, he married his wife Merrilyn (Talbott), also of Marion.
He worked at Sherwin-Williams for 38 years, retiring in 1996 after holding a variety of positions within the organization, but mostly as store manager in Greenville. Young adults may remember getting balloons from Bob as children, while their parents were checking out of the store. Early in that time period (early 1960’s) he was drafted into the US Army serving in the 27th Engineering Division in Ft. Campbell, KY. – serving as a field medic, sharpshooter instructor and then commander company clerk.
He was an avid Auto-racing fan having attended over 50 Indy 500’s throughout his lifetime spanning from the 1950’s up to and including last May’s race. Tears could usually be seen in his eyes during the annual playing of “taps” prior to the familiar call of “Gentlemen Start Your Engines” each Memorial Day weekend at the Brickyard. He also loved the Cincinnati Bengals, having been a season ticket holder from the early 1970’s and was getting geared for another season to begin…..always supporting them win, lose or draw. He attended the notorious freezer bowl in 1981 at Riverfront Stadium with his two boys, while braving wind-chills of 59 below zero as the Bengals defeated the Chargers to advance to the first Super Bowl in the Team’s history, which he also attended at the Silverdome in Pontiac, MI. He was also an avid reader, enjoying books about WWII and Vietnam, could play a mean game of Euchre (where he enjoyed “cleaning his grandkids clocks”) and didn’t mind losing a few nickels to the unforgiving slot machines at some of the areas casinos. As a Lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Elks he enjoyed attending the monthly birthday dinner at The Lodge. Those who knew him always appreciated his quick wit and dry sense of humor, which stayed with him right to the end.
Robert is survived by his wife Merrilyn and his two sons, Robert T. Colliver II of Ft. Wayne, IN and Michael D. Colliver of Bloomington, IN. He also leaves behind to daughters in law - Judy, married to Robert and Angela wife of Michael; four grandchildren, Anthony (21), Jack (18) of Ft. Wayne and Taylor (12) and Thessaly (10) of Bloomington.
He was preceded in death by his sister Thelma Smathers, formerly of Marion, IN.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that contributions be made to one of the following organizations: State of the Heart Hospice of Darke County, The Darke County Cancer Association or the Honor Flight Network.
Condolences for the family may be sent to www.zecharbailey.com
