Robert Fredrick Hart

Robert Fredrick "Bob" Hart (age 60) of Scottsdale, Arizona found Peace and met his Savior on Sunday, February 1st, 2026 surrounded by his loving family. Bob approached his nearly six-year battle with cancer with fearlessness and grace, and seemingly endless strength that inspired his family, friends and many others. His positive attitude and tolerance for difficult treatment and pain were legendary to other patients and even the most seasoned medical professionals. True to form, he beat the odds of the projected timeline of his illness and never gave up living to the fullest.

Bob made friends easily and made other people feel important. His infectious laugh and genuine happiness when greeting friends and family – or anyone – touched people with the warmth of his large personality. He loved underdogs and enjoyed helping the marginalized and people in need. His generosity with kind words, his time and resources were boundless. As a true character he attracted many fitting nicknames throughout his life, including the "Bear" (from his Dad), "Good Time Charlie" (self-proclaimed), the "Earthworm" (from fraternity brothers because he only had one, light brown sport coat to start college), "Foods" (from fraternity brothers because he ran the kitchen.) "Dyno" (from Riverside friends and because he loved saying the word "Dyno") and "Everybody's All-American" (from many).

Born to Leo J. Hart and Mary V. Hart on October 9, 1965, Bob was the third oldest of eight siblings, and one of sixteen cousins in a large and proud clan of Harts, Dosses and Dowds in Oak Park and Forest Park, Illinois. Bob graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1983, where he was a track athlete and played basketball but excelled at football. At 6'1" and 190 pounds, and with deceptive speed, he was a tough and bruising tailback on a talented and deep Huskie team that hosted two state playoff games at Oak Park stadium and posted a victory in an "ice bowl" game at Soldier's Field. Bob graduated from Arizona State University with a business degree, but remained a lifelong fan of USC Trojan Football, much to the chagrin of many ASU and Notre Dame friends.

Bob's work life started early with paper routes, on house painting crews, and at a dicey liquor store in Chicago's Loop. In his business career, Bob was purely self-made as a successful sales-professional in the print industry, retail display advertising and with his own business selling medical equipment to doctor's offices and hospital systems.

By far, Bob's most important jobs were that of father, son, brother and uncle, at which he excelled. He loved his four children Jacqueline, Sean, Georgia and Madeleine more than anything, and placed them above all else with his whole heart and soul. Bob was "best friend" to many people, including both his parents, multiple friends and siblings. His life-long devotion to his mother and loving care of his father at the end of his father's life are examples that will not be forgotten. He cherished his relationships with all his siblings, nieces, nephews, Doss and Dowd cousins and made them all feel special.

Bob is survived by his four children, and their mother (Stephanie Sammon). Bob is also survived by his mother Mary V. Hart, his uncles Daniel J. Dowd and John M. Dowd, his siblings Paul (Chris) Hart, Tom (Amy) Hart, Molly (Pat) Corrigan, Marty (K-leen) Hart, Meg (Marty "Whitey") White, Amy (Jon) Tomaso, Janet (Jim) Carson. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews; Katie, Carson, Caroline and Casey Hart; Rachel, Emily and Joseph Hart; Patrick, Marty and Danny Corrigan; Ashley, Jack and Olivia Hart; Maeve, Brendan and Ciara "Cookie" White; Michael, Ryan and Ava Tomaso; and Vivian, Aubrey and James Carson.

Bob Hart was preceded in death by his father Leo J. Hart, his grandfather Robert F. Dowd, grandmother Eloise M. Dowd (nee McGinn), his aunt Eloise "Audi" Udil (nee Dowd), his Uncle Robert P. Dowd, and his cousins Pat Doss and Candance Doss-Kowarsch.

The Hart family is especially grateful that Bob found love, peace and unconditional support from Sheila Merrell. Sheila's care of and devotion to Bob were incomparable. It is difficult to single out Bob's multitude of friends individually but Nino and Doug Ducey, John Connelly and Mike Doody must be thanked personally. The "Doody Factor" cannot be over-stated as Bob's life-long friend, wing-man and running-mate in so many ventures from college painting crews to C-suite levels. And, of course, Mike Doody was there in the end to comfort Bob and his family.

The Hart family is also grateful for Bob's oncology and medical team, and to Hospice of the Valley nurses and staff, who provided amazing comfort and care to Bob and his family. Special thanks must go to Bob's most recent employer Anchor Mechanical of Chicago who told Bob "you are family" and kept supporting him even as his ability to work slowed.

Memorial services to honor Bob's life in Scottsdale are pending announcement. Memorial mass at St. Bernardine Church, 801 S. Elgin, Forest Park, Illinois to be held Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 10:00 AM. Donations in Bob's name are welcome to Hospice of the Valley (www.hov.org - see donation page) and/or to the Park District of Forest Park Foundation, 7501 W. Harrison, Forest Park, Ill. 60130, (foundation@pdofp.org) to support Forest Park youth sports in the name of Bob Hart and Bob Dowd.