Robert Lee Lloyd

Robert L. Lloyd was born to a single mom on Nov 4 th , 1931, and was raised by his grandparents, Ona and
Lulu Lloyd, in Geneva, OH. Dad was an exceptional guy from an early age. In high school, he lettered in
every sport he could and was the Spencer High School 1949 class valedictorian. With scholarship
assistance as well as financial help from his grandparents, he went to Bowling Green University, where
he earned degrees in psychology as well as speech and hearing therapy. He worked in education and
sales for awhile, but it wasn’t long until he was drafted. With high test scores, the army trained him in
MI and sent him to Korea for year. When he got home and was honorably discharged, he went back to
Kent State University (KSU) to study business where he eventually earned his MBA. While studying at
KSU, he met Mary Ann Kluka. They married and had four children - Bobby, David, Elizabeth and Bill.
While Dad loved playing golf, fishing, and playing bridge, he realized early on that he had a knack for
business. He started working for the aerospace industry in Akron, OH, then with his experience and
MBA, he was offered a good job in the contracts and pricing group at North American Aviation (NAA) in
Columbus, OH. He quickly became one of their best and brightest, and routinely found himself in
Washington DC leading negotiations for huge contracts with the government for various airplanes,
missiles, and high altitude experimental aircraft. By the mid 1970’s, NAA was acquired by Rockwell Int’l,
and moved Dad, now divorced, to their corporate offices in El Segundo, CA, where Dad continued his
corporate rise reaching Rockwell’s “ivory towers” as a Sr. Pricing Executive. He retired in ’89 and moved
back to Jefferson, OH, near where he’d grown up.
A few years later, he reconnected with a dear friend, Joyce, who he knew at Bowling Green in the early
1950’s when he and his fraternity brother double dated with Joyce and her sorority sister. It didn’t take
long for Dad and Joyce to fall in love, and they spent the next 26 years together traveling the world and
loving life. Joyce passed away from covid in late 2020 at age 86. Dad survived covid (he was 89) but
now needed help, so he spent the last couple years at Jefferson Healthcare where he was very loved and
so well cared for. We talked with Dad every day, sometimes more than once, and visited him regularly.
Until Dad passed away on Sept 15 th , 2023, his mind remained fully intact and he loved, laughed, and
joked as he always did.
Dad is missed by so many. Some know Dad as the guy who set up a wine and cheese table on
Halloween for the parents walking with their trick or treaters. Dad loved his wine! Some know Dad as a
master bridge player. Some know Dad for his exceptional generosity. Most of us just know Dad as that
good looking guy who was fun to be around and loved to talk to people everywhere. I think that came
from the fact that Dad was a Jesus-loving believer whose faith became more and more important to him
as he got older. A couple days before Dad passed away he said to me, “Bobby, I’m going home. I love
you. I’ll wait for you.” That said it all. The gaping hole in our human hearts that Dad left will hurt
forever, but our spirits rejoice knowing that Dad is with our Lord.
I think the best way that any of us could honor Dad would be to raise a glass of good red wine, and with
love in our hearts, remember what a kind man he was and how he affected so many with his generosity,
his good advice, and his genuine desire to help others. Dad, you are so missed.

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