Robert L. Svoboda

Robert "Bob" L. Svoboda, 106 years young, passed away on Monday, August 29, 2022. Part of the Greatest Generation, Bob was born just before WWI, lived through the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, the Great Recession, and survived two pandemics. He witnessed the introduction of literally hundreds of inventions and some of the greatest technological advances of our time. Bob was one of five children of first-generation Czech immigrants-Frank and Josephine Svoboda-born and raised in Cleveland, studied at Virginia Tech University, earned his degree in architecture, completed graduate work at Cornell University, and eventually moved from Ohio to Detroit, Michigan, his home for nearly 40 years. Bob had a decorated career building churches; Sacred Heart Catholic Church being his final opus (nearly losing his life when he fell 12 feet off construction scaffolding at the age of 70). He played golf at a legendary pace, boasting of three holes-in-one, and shooting his age at 88. The last time he swung his clubs was in 2011. He was 93. About that same time, Bob started the Donna-Dale Freedom Foundation whose main mission is providing tuition grants to support Catholic student education. To date, Sacred Heart students alone have received over $2M in tuition assistance. Bob was a businessman, a business owner, a devoted Christian, and the recipient of the Papal Cross. He was also a consummate storyteller with a razor sharp memory, a wicked Pinochle player, a talented artist, a world traveler, an honorary PhD, and stubbornly independent until his death. But, more importantly, he was a proud father of five, a grandfather of eight, a great grandfather to seven, a brother, an uncle, a father-in-law, a loving companion, and a very devoted husband. Bob is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Donna, his daughter, Cathy, his brother, Frank and sisters, Elie, Josephine and May. Bob is survived by his son, Robert Jr., daughters, Judi, Teri and Carol and his wonderful companion of nearly eight years-Wally. Without her love, support, patience and endless self-sacrifice, Bob would have been completely lost. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: Donna-Dale Foundation, c/o Ameriprise Financial, One Daytona Boulevard, Suite 270, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
Visitation: 2PM - 5PM Monday, September 5, 2022 @ Dudley Funeral Home, New Smyrna Beach.
Mass of Christian Burial: 11 AM Tuesday, September 6, 2022 @ Sacred Heart Catholic Church, New Smyrna Beach.
Entombment: Edgewater-New Smyrna Cemetery Mausoleum, Edgewater.