Robert Michael Obituary
Robert R. "Bob" Michael
Enterprise, AL
Robert R. "Bob" Michael (AKA "Mr. Music, DJ") passed away on Monday, January 8, 2018, in Enterprise, Alabama. He was 91.
Memorial services in Naples will be at Noon, Saturday, March 17 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church located at 3901 Davis Boulevard.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Humane Society, 370 Airport Pulling Road North, Naples, FL 34104.
Bob Michael, son of Charles Howard and Natalie Michael, was born November 20, 1926, in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He attended Highland Avenue Elementary, George Washington Junior High School, and graduated from New Castle High School, class of June 1944.
Bob began a long career in radio broadcasting while attending high school, at the age of 16, employed at his home town station WKST as a control room operator and morning announcer. Other broadcasting experience was at WDAD, Indiana, PA; WNAE, Warren, PA; WRTA, Altoona, PA; WENY and WELM, Elmira, NY. At all these radio stations, Bob was an "on air" personality, and his programs gave him recognition as the communities' "Number 1" DJ. His management broadcasting experience started at WATS, Sayre, PA; later with WKOP, Binghamton, NY; KCUB, Tucson, AZ; WJAB, Portland, ME; WHYN, Springfield, MA; WKSN, Jamestown, NY; WTBY, Waterbury, CT; WGVA, Geneva, NY; WRGI, WNOG, and his final management position was at WSGL, in Naples, FL.
Bob moved his family to Naples in 1974 to take over the management of WRGI-AM/FM. During his life in Naples, he was president of the Marco Island Rotary Club and was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest honor given by Rotary International; President of the Collier County Humane Society; and President of the Collier County Mental Health Association.
He created, possibly Naples first Mobile DJ Service in 1975, and entertained as wedding receptions along with private events more than 1000 times before closing it down in 1998.
After a two-year retirement period, Bob became restless and found employment as a Security Guard at a brand-new condominium in Bay Colony, Pelican Bay, The Windsor.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Natalie Michael; sisters: Carolyn Beckman of Ventura, CA, and Gertrude Jennings of Pittsburg, PA.
Survivors include former wife, Virginia; daughter, Becky Michael and husband Melvin Maxwell; son, Robert Charles and wife Cindy Michael; daughter, Cheryl Schillawski of Aberdeen, NC; granddaughter, Brooklynn Harley Michael; grandson Bowden William Michael of Enterprise, AL; grandsons, Robert and Richard Schillawski of North Carolina.
Published by Naples Daily News on Feb. 11, 2018.