Robert Holmes Obituary, Death – Robert Crawford Holmes was born in Urbana, Illinois, to W. Robert Holmes and Frances Crawford Holmes, when his father was pursuing his doctorate at the University. Daddy’s first job was at North Park College (now University) in Chicago, where Bob, nicknamed Bobby by his closest friends and family, began his collecting career with bottle caps found on the street. When he was six years old, his family traveled to Sri Lanka as missionary educators.
While in the United Kingdom, Bobby’s father bought him his first set of stamps, kicking off a lifelong hobby of stamp collecting. Bob told numerous anecdotes about his exploits on the famous trans-Atlantic ships as a youngster, and he was overjoyed to see the USS United States in Philadelphia harbor because he had crossed the Atlantic aboard that ship. The Holmes family developed lifelong friendships with the Bunker and Lockwood families while stationed at Jaffna College in Vaddukoddai.
The children of these three families were and remain great friends, attending Kodaikanal International boarding school in south India, camping and hiking together, and collecting butterflies, snakes, and other strange things that piqued their interest. Bob’s family will confirm that we still have the majority of those things today. Bob returned to the United States at the age of 18 to attend his parents’ alma mater, Wheaton College in Illinois, where he was an All-American soccer player, and to spend the summer at Lake George with his maternal grandparents. He joined the Peace Corps after college and returned to India.
There, he formed a lasting bond with his Peace Corps companion, Dave Elliott, who, along with his wife Sherry, would become godparents to his kid. He returned to the United States with a group of other volunteers, retracing Alexander the Great’s journey from India through Afghanistan. When Bob returned to the United States, he enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania’s Masters degree in South Asia Regional Studies and moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He began working for the State of New Jersey, initially in Community Affairs and eventually in Student Assistance. Bob met his wife Nora in Philadelphia on his 36th birthday, and she frequently reminded him that she was the nicest birthday present he had ever received. Together, they eventually relocated in New Jersey and married in 1981. They first lived in Trenton before moving to Hopewell Valley to raise their two daughters, Genevieve and Aubrey. He was an active and dedicated member of St Matthews Episcopal Church in Pennington, volunteering at every event, organizing the St Matts TASK team, and working Arm In Arm.
He was a recognized Lifetime Master Gardener (MG) in Mercer County, as well as a loving father and husband, who supported his wife’s numerous projects and volunteer efforts. Her students also knew and adored him, and they frequently referred to him as Mr. Sirbaugh, which he found amusing. His wife referred to him as her wingman.
He was a terrible punster and an excellent listener. He characterized his life’s ambition as family and asked that we remember how proud he was of my children and how much he enjoyed spending time with others. Bob is survived and remembered by his beloved sister Carol Lou (husband Richard), his Indian brother Kalim (wife Nikhat and sons Asif and Sahir), his Kodai family, MG friends, St Matts, his Top Spinner tennis buddies, CWW friends, and so many, many more.
