Robert Edward Ibanez

Robert "Bob" Ibanez, 67 of Jacksonville ,FL, passed away peacefully April 19, 2023, after a two-month battle with cancer.

Bob was a man of quiet demeanor, whose actions often spoke louder than his words. He was kind and caring; someone who advocated for others and helped when he could. Bob had a dry wit, and an infectious smile and laugh. He worked hard and loved deeply. His legacy of subtle generosity and thoughtfulness carries on in the lives of those he personally impacted.

Born on April 12, 1956, in New York City, Bob was the younger son of Richard Bernard and Olivia Maria (Garcia) Ibanez. He spent his first five years living in Saudi Arabia, where his father worked as an engineer. After returning to the U.S., Bob's family settled in Framingham, MA, where he attended high school. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1978) and a Master's Degree in Management from The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA.

Bob was passionate about helping others and spent most of his professional life in the field of Community Development. Shortly after graduating from college, he spent two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Suffolk County, NY. He went on to spend nearly a decade working at Neighborhood Reinvestment, where he authored two publications and contributed to multiple articles offering investment guidance to non-profits. In 2006, Bob landed his dream job, at the U.S. Dept. of Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, in Washington, DC. At the time of his retirement Federal Government service, in 2018, he was Program Manager of the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and Bank Enterprise Awards programs. He then moved to Jacksonville, FL, and joined Novogradac & Company LLP as a senior manager, assisting firm clients with applications to CDFI Fund programs. Bob's dedication and contributions to Community Development were widely respected throughout the industry, where his loss is immensely felt.

Bob was a life-long lover of sports and a fan of every professional team in Boston. He especially loved the Celtics, and their eight NBA championships during his youth inspired Bob to play middle and high school basketball, and to compete fiercely for a prized trophy in the MA State Free Throw tournament. As a Red Sox fan, he enjoyed attending games at Fenway Park, where he once caught a foul ball with his bare hands. He was overjoyed when the curse of the Bambino was finally broken and the Sox won the 2004 World Series. During his tenure in D.C., Bob also became a fan of the newly established Washington Nationals and returned to the city to attend their (and his) first World Series game in 2019. His extensive knowledge of sports history was a huge asset to his weekly Trivia team in Jacksonville, as he often came in clutch with the winning answer.

Bob's favorite place to be was always by the sea. For more than two decades he lived in Cotuit, MA, where he enjoyed countless summer days playing with his sons at the nearby Cape Cod National Seashore. He spent his last 5 years in Jacksonville, FL, and became a member of the Ponte Vedra Lodge & Club, where he loved relaxing in a beach chair with his in the sand, and a crossword puzzle or book in hand. He was an avid reader of biographies and poetry, which he wrote to family members on special occasions.

Bob worked in a record store as a youth and learned to play the acoustic guitar as an adult. He was always up for hearing live music and had a special fondness for attending jazz festivals and the blues clubs of New Orleans. During the summer of 2021, he made the hike up to Colorado's famed Red Rocks Amphitheater to attend an "acoustically perfect" rock concert.

Over the last several years, Bob enjoyed traveling throughout the Caribbean, Latin America and Spain with his wife, Jill. He embraced new locations and adventures, such as horseback riding and parasailing, with joy in his heart and a youthful spark in his eyes.

Bob is survived by his loving wife Julia "Jill" Baucom; his sons, Robert A. (Jenni) Ibanez, Michael Ibanez, and Stephen Ibanez; and grandchildren, Elizabeth "Ellie" Ibanez and Brayden "Brady" Ibanez. He is also survived by the mother of his sons and previous wife, Roseanne DeVito. Bob is sorely missed by Bearcat, his beloved feline companion, who laid by his side until his very last day.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Richard "Rick" Ibanez .

A Celebration of Life was held beachside at the Ponte Verde Lodge & Club on April 23rd. Donations can be made to The Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, https://www.jaxcf.org/donate/, with comment "In Memory of Bob Ibanez".