Robert Michael Nee M.D

"The Greeks didn't have obituaries. They asked one question when a man dies: Did he have passion?" This is from a scene in one of Bob's favorite John Cusack movies Serendipity. Passion? YES. Passion for accompanying his wife and daughter to just about anywhere, passion for music, movies, ice cream and news. Passionate for always helping. Passionate about doing his responsibility as a parent and embarrassing his daughter at the perfect moment. Bob was passionate about not regretting to try reaching goals and dreams in life even if they went awry and remembering the good from the challenging. Bob did not keep a bucket list but rather went forward when the opportunities presented. Being a man before his time, long before Garanimals were in the department stores or the visionaries of Silicon Valley trending the same outfit every day to reduce decision fatigue, he sported only Khakis, blue Dockers, white and blue oxford shirts. Until the serendipitous moment of meeting his "chickie-poo" wife; Kathleen (Golash) Nee in Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge Massachusetts, where it was her life's goal to introduce color, patterns and textures into his life. She achieved that goal by bringing his daughter Faith Mackenzie Nee into their world. She was his color, light, passion and experienced a few patterns along the way. Bob always said that Faith was an ambassador who broadened his world and introduced new people, opportunities, perspectives and welcome challenges. A self- entitled "S.N.A.G" (sensitive new age guy), he was steadfast in being selfless and committed to the gentile niceties of life. He was never without a fresh laundered handkerchief to be deployed at a moment's notice and even accepting it back upon it's use from his daughter. A pocket pen and paper was standard issue wardrobe for that time when a piece of information needed to be written down and then later shared. A door opener for all before and behind him and an asker of a Father for the permission to marry his daughter on bended knee. A Boston "Southie", Bob was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts at St. Margaret's hospital to Robert Joseph and Helen Ann (Kvicala) Nee. Bob was raised and educated in Mattapan until forced-busing forced a fortuitous move to Dover, MA with his 3 sisters: Kathy, Kerry, and Kristy. He enjoyed cross-country running in spite of his flat feet, learned to ski from the Ski Patrol in Waltham when they needed some medical help from the EMT's. Enjoyed tennis on the high school team, town courts and Family owned tennis club. He taught himself how to play piano on his mom's baby grand and also self-taught to play the guitar. Albeit, being bested by Ricky Skaggs and The Piano Guys, wonderful versions of Jingle Bells were concert material in the Nee household. His thirst for knowledge didn't stop there. As a biology major at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H, he gained the respect of his classmates, the Benedictine monks and his teachers as a deep thinker with great wit, compassion, and kind humility. He was a member of the King Edward Fraternity providing a volunteer hand to those in need around Manchester. Intent throughout high school and college on becoming a family medical doctor, Bob took every opportunity to develop skills by being a medical billing clerk and an EMT so that he understood the full range of a patient's experiences. He was overjoyed at being accepted into the St. Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri and made great friends along the way of becoming a family practice physician: "Dr. Bob". After his residency with University of Massachusetts Family Practice program, he always remarked that he was very fortunate to have been welcomed into Dr. Jim Fluet's medical practice (a fellow St. Anselm) in Fitchburg, Ma. as a new family practitioner with obstetrics as he was mentored on how to practice medicine, welcomed new families into the world and how to truly be a family centric provider. Upon leaving medicine, he furthered helped humanity by becoming a hearing aid practitioner for Beltone New England. For years Bob improved the quality of life of all ages by assisting their hearing to enjoy the sounds of the world around them. Always grateful to Mike Andreozzi who emphasized helping patients to hear over the selling of the hearing aids themselves. Bob accomplished this in his two Beltone offices in Westerly and Narragansett, RI. A lover of mystery rides, Bob would often would pack up the car and take his daughter and wife on a drive and frequently find themselves in wonderful places and most of those places became their homes, the Twin Cities of Fitchburg/Leominster, Massachusetts, country side of Brimfield, Massachusetts, the coastline of Westerly, Rhode Island, the farmland of North Stonington, Connecticut, and lastly the area of Brotherly Love, Pennsylvania. A lover of golf, skiing, reading and the ocean, he found himself frequently at Skytop Lodge in the Poconos, and the shores of Rhode Island…..with Ice cream in tow! Until his last breath, Bob never lost his hope to be availed a cure of the cancer that swiftly invaded his brain and ravaged his body. A remarkable and graceful fight against all odds that were presented to him since his diagnosis before Christmas in December of 2017. Departing from us to journey into the Universe, he leaves his wife Kathleen (Golash) Nee and daughter Faith Mackenzie Nee, two beloved goldendoodles: Buddy and Daisy. He is also survived by his mother Helen of Scituate, Massachusetts, his sisters Kathleen Baxter of Scituate, Kerry Husted and Kristy Foley with husband Kevin of New Hampshire as well the Golash clan that makes up David L. Golash with wife Amy of Milford and "Chip" and MaryBeth Golash of Millis, Massachusetts. Bob also leaves many wonderful Nieces and Nephews to continue and enjoy their journey to the fullest here on earth. True to his Spirit of giving, helping and seeker of knowledge he proudly donated his body to science for further research. Cremation will take place afterward and memorialization of his life will take place at family's convenience. Although always welcome, in lieu of flowers, Bob asks all to consider donations be made to a charity of your choice and/or to the Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester, PA and to always find a way to pay it forward no matter how big or small. "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." – Buddha and Namaste from Bob.