Obituary
Robert Wayne Salomaa (Bob) of N. Fort Myers, age 83, passed away at the nursing home in N. Fort Myers, FL on February 16, 2018, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was supported and cared for by his loving family during his illness.
Son of a Finnish immigrant (Lahti, Finland) and a first-generation Finnish-American (Gardner, MA), Robert was born on 1/27/35 in Walpole, MA, where he grew up and graduated from Walpole High School. Robert served as an Army personnel specialist for 2 years. During his service for his country, he was stationed in Germany and was able to travel to his ancestral home of Finland. After his military service, Bob started his career and served 27 years at the A&P grocery store in Walpole, MA, moved on to Sealtest and Harts Dairy in Ft. Myers FL, ending his career with a self-employed landscaping business in Apopka FL. Upon retirement, Bob an avid golfer, enjoyed many rounds of golf with his wife Gerry at the Heritage in N. Ft. Myers, FL. Throughout his golfing years, Bob achieved 27 holes in one.
Bob met his lovely wife, Gerry while stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and upon discharge from the army, they married on 11/23/1956, Parsons, Kansas. Together they raised four children on School Street in Walpole, MA and eventually moved to Florida in 1977. Bob is preceded in death by his parents Hugo and Lillian (Kivela) Salomaa and his brother Richard all of Walpole, MA. Bob is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Gerry, children; Robert (Kathy) Salomaa of Foxborough, MA, Deborah (Martin) Choate of Crawford, ME, Karen (Vince) Biegel of Ft Myers, FL and Sharon Salomaa of Cape Coral, FL. Bob has 4 grandchildren; Chris Hunt, Todd Hunt, Anna Donovan, Emily Lolio and 6 great grandchildren. Bob will be greatly missed, and we will always carry his memory in our hearts. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center; 12468 Brantley Commons Court, Ft. Myers, FL 33907
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