Robert Thomas Hancock

URBANA – Robert Thomas Hancock, 91 of Urbana, Ohio, passed away on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025 at his home, surrounded by his loving family.

Tom was born on July 13, 1933 in Rochester, New York, the oldest child of the late Jack Hancock and Marjorie (Crawford) Hancock of Wellsville, New York. Tom has a younger sister, Jean (Hancock) Grastorf, who became an accomplished and award winning watercolor artist.

Tom grew up working in his dad's full service gas station, and Tom's mother was a registered nurse.

Tom graduated from Wellsville High School, and then attended Alfred Technical College in Alfred, New York, majoring in mechanical engineering.

As the story goes, Sonoma drove her car to Tom's family business, and noticed the young man filling up her tank and cleaning her windshield. She was smitten on the spot. Tom eventually came to her family's door to ask her if she wanted to go for a drive. And that was that.

On March 15, 1958, Tom married Sonoma Lee Meyers in Wellsville, New York. Tom and Sonoma moved to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in 1959 where Tom started work at Cooper-Bessemer as a test engineer. They settled in nearby Fredericktown to raise their girls. Tom was later promoted to Manager of Technical Field Services for the Superior Division in Springfield, Ohio, and settled the family in Urbana. He developed a reputation as a problem solver and a "go to" guy. Those skills carried over to all things in and around the home and with all the family cars.

Tom retired in 1995, but continued to gather with his friends from work throughout the years. Soon after retiring, his two grandsons were born and Tom and Sonoma were able to spend time watching them grow into wonderful young men.

Tom's interests included reading books on history, rooting for the New York Yankees, tinkering in the garage, listening to a ballgame on the back porch, and making sure everything was fixed and working at home.

Robert is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sonoma; daughter, Susan (Hancock) O'Bryant and son-in-law, David O'Bryant, of Urbana, Ohio; daughter, Jennifer (Hancock) Holbrook and son-in-law, Michael Holbrook, of West Chester, Ohio; grandson, Ryan Michael Hancock Holbrook, of West Chester, Ohio; grandson, Eric Matthew Hancock Holbrook, of Fairfield, Ohio; sister, Jean Grastorf, of St. Petersburg, Florida; niece, Jean Marie Wilhelm, and her husband, Rob Wilhelm; brother-in-law, William Meyers; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tony and Rita Peangatelli; sister-in-law, Deborah Whelpley; as well as many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, William Grastorf, Jr.; brother-in-law, Ronald Meyers; brother-in-law, Roger Meyers; sister-in-law, Avis Meyers; and brother-in-law, Dennis Whelpley.

In lieu of any services, we ask family and friends to send a note to Sonoma sharing a memory or story of Tom so those can be shared with their grandsons. Our family will continue to gather, reflect and celebrate the memories we have of Tom.

Robert Thomas Hancock took great care of his family and we will always be grateful to have had him in our lives. We will love and miss him, always.

The family is being served by WALTER AND LEWIS FUNERAL HOME, Urbana, Ohio, and is requesting that in lieu of flowers to make a contribution to their charity of choice.