Robert Floss

Robert "Bob" Donald Floss I, age 82, of Countryside, Illinois, passed away on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Born on September 9, 1942, in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, the son of Harold J. Floss, Sr. and Margaret M. Rummel (original surname: Roumeliotis). He spent his early years in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and later Cicero, Illinois.

Bob is survived by his former wife, Karen Sanders (original surname: Sandusky) Floss, and his beloved children: Patricia Floss-White, Margaret Floss, Carrie Bliss, and Robert D. Floss II (Sarah). He was "Gramps" to Jocelyn Bickle, Jessie Bliss, Journey Bliss, Brandon White, Dylan White, Cameron White, and Carter Floss, and a cherished great-grandfather to Everly White and Wyatt White. He also leaves behind his sisters-in-law Caroline Boyd Floss, Lucille Porto Floss, and Donna Jones Floss, along with 17 nieces and nephews who will remember his tenacious spirit.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Harold, George, William, Eugene, and John, his sisters Lorraine Floss Kolo, Rosemary Floss Sullivan, an infant sister, and several in-laws John A. Kolo, William Sullivan, Muriel Keistler Floss, Lynn Kolo Floss, and Linda Pytlewski Floss, as well as niece Karen Floss and nephews Brian Sullivan and John H. Kolo.

Bob was a graduate of St. Lucy's School, Morton East, and Morton West High Schools. He honorably served his country in the U.S. Navy and continued his lifelong dedication to service as a Medinah Shriner, Freemason, Rotarian, and Eucharistic Minister.

Bob's professional career began navigating the streets of Chicago with a semi-truck full of the iconic glass soda bottles in an era when drivers were responsible for their own sales routes, keeping the shelves full, an undeniable hustle to return the empty bottles back to the plant at the end of the day, and a secret route referred to as clout. His entrepreneurial drive led him to own a grocery store in Lansing, a liquor store in Northlake, and long before it became mainstream, he was flipping houses as a general contractor. For the last 45 years of his life, he made his mark in real estate and was a La Grange resident.

He was a formidable presence, never passing up an opportunity to negotiate. With his passing, an entire generation comes to an end-one defined by resilience, tradition, and an unmistakable Chicago spirit. He and his siblings embodied a bygone era: the grit of tough Irish teamsters, the echoes of old-school politics, the legacy of his Greek grandfather's shoeshine store, the warmth of a mother who baked fresh bread daily, the bustling old Chicago Peter Rubi deliveries for families in need, a street whistle so sharp it stopped traffic, and sitting in someone's front yard in plastic lawn chairs sharing a pizza as a second dinner.

A celebration of Bob's life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his honor to the Rotary Club of La Grange, Illinois, St. Cletus Catholic Church, or the Chicago Genealogical Society, all organizations that reflect his commitment to service and community.