Robert R DeLoach

Robert "Bob" Richard DeLoach Sr., 91, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on Nov. 7, 2025, at The Addison of Port Orange in Florida. Born October 28, 1934, in New Smyrna Beach, Bob was the eighth of 10 children born to Steward and Jimmie DeLoach.
He graduated from New Smyrna Beach High School in 1952 after enjoying a storied and headline-making three years in varsity baseball, as well as football and boxing. In 1953, he joined the United States Marine Corps. His service instilled in him a deep sense of duty, honor, and pride – values that guided him throughout his life. After receiving an honorable medical discharge in 1954, he resumed his pursuit of professional baseball. Though his career with the St. Louis Cardinals was brief – just five games in the farm leagues with the Daytona Beach Islanders – Bob made the most of every chance at the plate, collecting five hits in 16 at-bats for an impressive.313 batting average.
Beyond the baseball diamond, he found joy and purpose in many places – most especially in music. He loved to sing, lending his beautiful voice to the church choir for decades and filling family celebrations with song. Some of Bob's proudest moments came when he sang at his daughters' weddings, sharing in their joy through the music he loved.
He carried discipline and camaraderie into every part of his life – he lived by the Golden Rule, thanks to his mother's strong and steady influence through all her children: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
In the early 1960s, Bob was involved from the start to nearly the finish of building Cape Canaveral on Florida's Space Coast, a place where he first became fascinated with shooting photographs of America's space vehicles and launches. Through the electricians' union, he then traveled across the country as a journeyman electrician to work at other missile sites, making friends in countless states, about whom he would tell fun and fantastic stories to his kids for years on end. The union eventually would send him to the marshes south of Orlando to build Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. He finished his career working for Volusia County Schools as an electrician, then a master electrician, for more than 20 years, retiring as a supervisor.
Bob was first married to Joyce Parke from 1954 to 1960. Together, they had two children, Robert "Rob" Jr., and Starr, to whom Bob was devoted.
In 1964, he married Jane M. Smith. Together, they had two daughters and shared 61 wonderful years and a loving family with their five children: Rob, Debbie, Starr, Cathy, and Jenny.
Bob will be remembered for his kind and gentle spirit, his abundant loyalty, his tremendous sense of humor, and his unwavering faith in God. Above all, he will be remembered for his tremendous capacity for love.
He is survived by his wife, Jane; his children, Robert "Rob" DeLoach Jr. (Sandy) of Edgewater, Fla., Starr Ford (Tony) of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; Deborah "Debbie" Gear of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; Cathy Poplin (Warren) of Middleburg, Fla.; Jenny Zimmerman (Bill) of Daytona Beach, Fla.; seven grandchildren, Heather Seabolt (Matthew); Troy Whitaker (Kristin); Desiree DeLoach; Ashley Church (Ben); Heidi Ford (Mike Snow); Alex Poplin (Ashley); and Barry Gear; his brother, Arthur "Buddy" DeLoach Sr. (Dolly); 10 great-grandchildren: Braxton, Jemma, Anderson, Addison, Colt, Brenna, Charlotte, Ellie, Rowan, and Peregrin; and many, many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Harry; S.L.; J. Boyd; and James "Jimmy" DeLoach; and four sisters, Janie Lorraine "Sister" DeLoach; Rubye Scheurich; Sarah "Tiny" Williams; and Mary Alice Lee; one grandchild, Carrie Ann; and one great-grandchild, Lawson.
A celebration of Bob's life will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at Settle-Wilder Funeral Home, 406 S. Orange St., New Smyrna Beach. Friends and family are invited to join the family at 9 a.m. and are encouraged to share stories and memories during visitation and during the service. The immediate family will attend the burial with military honors immediately after the service at Sea Pines Memorial Gardens in Edgewater and invites friends and family to gather in fellowship at 12 p.m. at the Florida Shores Clubhouse at 2932 Lime Tree Dr., Edgewater.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Robert R. DeLoach Sr. to the Wounded Warrior Project or AdventHealth Foundation/AdventHealth for Children.
Bob's family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the nurses and caregivers at The Addison of Port Orange for their extraordinary compassion and loving kindness they shared with Bob every day, and the staff at Emerald Assisted Living in New Smyrna Beach for their love and care.
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