Robert Joseph "Bob" Cleveland Sr.

Robert Joseph "Bob" Cleveland, Sr. -MACON - Robert Joseph "Bob" Cleveland, Sr., of Macon, died Tuesday, June 24, 2008. -Mr. Cleveland was born on September 22, 1936 in Ayer, Massachusetts, to the late Austin Kidd and Anne Duris Cleveland. He was the first high school All American football player from Augusta, Georgia, graduating from Boys Catholic High School, and was a scholarship football player at the University of Georgia where he played and lettered under legendary coach Wally Butts. He was a member of the University of Georgia football team that "Broke the Drought" against Georgia Tech in 1957. -At the University of Georgia, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, serving for one year as its President. Mr. Cleveland graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a double major in insurance and real estate. He attended law school at the University of Georgia before joining the military as a second lieutenant. After completing Air Borne and Ranger training at Ft. Benning, Georgia, he served in the capacity of legal officer for the United States Army Infantry Center Brigade for approximately two years. -In 1962, Mr. Cleveland entered the development/building industry when he joined Standard Development Company in Macon. From 1962 until 1984 he was involved in the planning, development and building of approximately 1,000 single family homes and 2,500 apartment units in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina. He was also involved in the development of office spaces, commercial projects, and rehabilitation of historical structures. In 1973, Mr. Cleveland co-founded National Housing Management Services, a real estate management company which would eventually manage over 6,000 apartment units in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In 1984, he founded Multi-Prop Services, Inc. and continued in the development of single family residential homes and commercial properties as well as the management of apartments across the southeast. He also brokered numerous commercial real estate transactions across the country. Mr. Cleveland was named the Tom Z. Standard Builder of the Year by the Macon Association of Home Builders for 1993-1994 and elected to the Georgia Home Builders Hall of Fame in 1998. -During his career he was active in politics and in serving organizations and associations relating to his profession, not only in Georgia but throughout the United States, including serving as Chairman of various committees of the Georgia Home Builders, serving on numerous Committees of the National Association of Home Builders, including the Executive Committee of the 250,000-member association, and as President of the Home Builders Association of Macon. He was a founding member of the National Council of HUD Managing Agents and a co-founder and the first President of Southeast Association of HUD Managing Agents. Mr. Cleveland co-founded and served as a Trustee for the Multi-Family Housing Industry Council, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, and was a member of the White House Commission on Small Business in 1995. He was a member of the Commission to study the consolidation of government for the City of Macon and Bibb County and served on the Housing Committee for Substandard Housing for the City of Macon. Mr. Cleveland served on the Board of Advisors for the University of Georgia, Housing and Demographics Research Center and on the Ocmulgee Land Trust. Additional memberships include the University of Georgia Letterman's Club, National Association of Home Builders, Home Builders Association of Georgia, Home Builders Association of Middle Georgia and the Idle Hour Country Club. He was a member of Christ Church. -Mr. Cleveland is survived by his wife, Connie Cleveland of Macon; his three sons, Bobby Cleveland (Elizabeth) of Macon, Dr. Brett Cleveland (Merryman) of Gastonia, NC and Blair Cleveland (Betsy) of Macon; two stepsons, Dr. Scott Robbins (Emily) of San Diego, CA and Ross Robbins (Allison) of Carrollton, GA; six grandchildren, Joey Cleveland and Tommy Cleveland, both of Macon, Bess Cleveland and Foard Clevelend, both of Gastonia, NC, and Ellie Cleveland and Knox Cleveland, both of Macon; two step-grandchildren, Olivia Robbins and Owen Robbins, both of San Diego, CA; sister, Mary Ann Hammond (Cliff) of Davidson, NC. -Services will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 2:30P.M. at Christ Church with the Reverends Wesley Smith and David Probst officiating. Burial will be private in Christ Church Gardens. Immediately following the service from 4:00 until 6:00 P.M., the family will celebrate his life with a gathering at Idle Hour Country Club. -In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund of Home Builders Association of Georgia, 3015 Camp Creek Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30344, in memory of Bob Cleveland, or to the donor's favorite charity. -Hart's Mortuary and Crematory has charge of arrangements. Robert Cleveland