Robert McEvoy

MCEVOY, Robert Eugene "Bob"

Robert Eugene "Bob" McEvoy passed away unexpectedly on October 31, 2023, at the age of 79, after a brief battle with kidney disease. He was surrounded by family and appreciative of their love and support.

Bob was born on August 30, 1944, in the rough and tumble southside of Chicago, Illinois. Looking to keep him on the straight and narrow, his parents, Charles and Marjorie, enrolled him at Marion Catholic High School. It was there that he first met the one love of his life, Kathleen Split. After graduating from Marion Catholic in 1962, Bob attended a number of institutions of higher learning and ultimately settled in at Arkansas State University, where he played fullback on the Varsity football team. Bob married Kathleen Split in June of 1966. He graduated from Arkansas State University on July 1, 1967, and then received his draft notice from the Army, three days later on the Fourth of July.

Fortunately for him, the Air Force was hiring and had pilot spots available in their officer training school. By year's end, he and Kathleen were headed to Williams AFB in Chandler, Arizona, for flight training. Their oldest son, Robert Sean McEvoy, was born on base in the spring of 1968. Next stop – Little Rock AFB – home of the largest contingent of C-130s in the world. After mastering his C-130 Hercules flight skills, Bob and his family headed to Scott AFB, in East St. Louis, Illinois, where he and Kathleen had their second son, Kevin Patrick McEvoy.

While at Scott AFB, Bob was rewarded with an all-expenses paid trip for him and his family to Ching Chaun Kang (CCK) Air Base in Taichung City, Taiwan. During his year in Southeast Asia, Bob flew too many missions to count – the details of which remain largely classified. By 1972, Bob and his family were back in the states and again stationed at Little Rock AFB, where their third child, Brian Fenton McEvoy was born. Kevin and Sean remember it well, as Bob brought each of them chocolate milk, telling them that it was a gift from their new brother!

Bob served with distinction and was honorably discharged, leaving the Air Force as a Captain in the 62nd Tactical Airlift Squadron. Shortly thereafter, in March of 1973, Bob chose to hire on as a pilot at a fledgling little airline called Delta Airlines in some place called Atlanta. For thirty years, he was able to live his dream job of flying jets across the country. He retired as a Captain on the Boeing 767ER, but if you asked him, he made it clear that the L-1011 was his favorite.

Bob and Kathleen made Atlanta their home. Bob enjoyed the many golf courses Atlanta had to offer, but his heart belonged to Hidden Hills, where he and Kathleen raised their boys for nearly a decade into the 1980s. Bob was huge fan of hockey and had season tickets to both the Atlanta Flames and later the Atlanta Thrashers. He also had an affinity for soccer. For about ten years, he played in an adult soccer league. His sons Sean, Kevin and Brian were fortunate to have been able to play with him on one of his teams and to share a beer afterwards. The boys continued to share Bob's love of soccer with him from the stands once Atlanta United came to town.

While Bob was simple man, he was always determined to provide the best life and opportunities for his family. He loved his wife Kathleen so much that he married her twice! While he and Kathleen were so proud to have gotten their boys into the Marist School, they were really excited to turn these three boys over to the Marist priests and brothers, who did what they could to get them on track. Kidding aside, Bob and Kathleen always stood behind their kids through the good and the bad.

Bob was the most loving and helpful grandfather a kid could ask for. While he doted on all of his grandchildren, he always made time for his grandson, Fenton. Bob will be greatly missed, as will his kind smile and soft sarcasm.

Bob is survived by his loving wife, Kathleen Split McEvoy; and his sister, Jan Barber (Jay) who live in the beautiful State of Oregon; his son, Robert Sean McEvoy (Emily) and their two children, Emma Caroline (22) and William Hudson (20); his son, Kevin Patrick McEvoy (Undine) and their three children, Elisha Blue (23), Harper Julia (20), Maia Adelaide (18); and his son, Brian Fenton McEvoy (Kate) and their two children, Martha Grey McEvoy (10) and Charles Fenton McEvoy, III (9) and Owen Robert McEvoy (14)(Betsy Buckley). Bob was preceded in death by his loving parents, Charles Fenton McEvoy, Jr. and Marjorie Ives.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities – www.armhc.org and/or to the Kennedy Krieger Institute – www.kennedykrieger.org, both of which have been instrumental in the heath, growth and development of Bob's grandson, Fenton McEvoy, whom he loved dearly.

A Memorial Service will be held in Bob's honor at Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) on Saturday, November 11, 2023, beginning at 2:00 PM, followed by an Irish wake.