Robert (Bob) Prokop

Robert (Bob) Prokop was born in 1952 in Patterson, New Jersey to Bernadine and Alexander Prokop. At the age of four, his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Bob loved life in the desert and would often recount tales of hiking and wilderness camping. The second of six children, Bob was a devoted brother and shared many fond memories of adventures with his older brother, Richard, reading to his younger brother, Andrew, and helping to care for his youngest siblings, Karen, Janet, and Kenny.

In 1974, Bob graduated with High Distinction from Arizona State University where he studied Russian. In 1975 he enlisted in the U.S. Army. It was at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California where he met his wife, Diane Tanguay. Bob and Diane wed in Connecticut on October 16, 1976. Together, they were stationed in Augsburg, Germany where they served two tours and made lifelong friendships. Bob went on to have a fulfilling civilian career with the National Security Agency until he retired in 2009. His work took him around the globe, including Korea, England, Kuwait, and New Zealand.

Bob was a man of boundless curiosity and generosity. His passions were almost too numerous to list, including languages, literature, astronomy, music, watercolor painting, cinema, and his Catholic faith. In his retirement, Bob dove into amateur astronomy and served on the board of the Howard Astronomical League. Among other publications, he is the author of two studies, Eyes to See: Observing the Nearest Stars and Petrified with Astonishment: Homeric Themes in Doc Smith's Skylark Novels. He also devoted himself to advocating for peace through his participation in Veterans for Peace, and supported many charitable organizations, advancing humanitarian aims across the globe. Everyone who met Bob walked away with a new friend.

Above all, Bob loved his family. He is survived by his daughters, Lisa (Lagasse) and Anna (Miller), sons-in-law, Daniel and Ryan, and grandchildren, Alexandra, Thomas, Cameron, and Joseph. He relished reading stories to them, playing games, watching movies, drawing, and enjoying long, meandering talks. He is greatly missed and forever loved.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Diane, brother, Richard, and father, Alexander.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Thursday, March 30th from 4-7pm at Matthew's 1600 in Catonsville, Maryland.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 31st at 10am at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Historic Ellicott City with a reception immediately following.