Robert K. Elliott

1941 - 2022

Robert K. Elliott passed away unexpectedly Nov. 3, 2022, peacefully in his sleep, at home in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.; he was a Hastings resident for 50 years.

Bob was born May 23, 1941, in Pottsville; his parents, who predeceased him, were L. Donald and Betty Kalb Elliott, who lived at 13 N. 20th St., Pottsville.

Bob attended the Pottsville schools, graduating from Pottsville High School, Class of 1959.

Bob graduated with a math major from Harvard and then got his MBA from Rutgers Business School.

Bob was with the international accounting firm KPMG for his entire career (1964-2001), becoming partner in 1972. By the time of his retirement, he had been advisor to six chairmen of the firm. He was president of the AICPA and was awarded their Gold Medal for Distinguished Service. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the auditing section of the American Accounting Association, a one-time award created just for him. He was a member of the Rutgers Business School board of directors and established the "Bob and Lee Elliott MBA Fellowship." He worked very closely with the KPMG Foundation, especially on research opportunities in auditing and the PhD Project; the project has quintupled the number of minority faculty members in American business schools since the Foundation started it in 1994, at Bob's initiative.

Since Bob retired in 2001, he combined his interest in art with becoming vice-chair of the board of trustees at SculptureCenter in Long Island City. He was an enthusiastic collector of original prints, limited edition books and sculptures, and he enjoyed photography, reading, traveling and being with family and friends.

Bob is survived by his wife, Ida Lee (née Heinbach), originally of Pottsville; two sons and their wives, David and Stacy, of Mass., and Don and Rosalva, of N.Y., with most especially his grandson, Maxim Schneider Elliott; his sister, Elizabeth Elliott; brother-in-law, Ned Heinbach and his wife, Jennie; nieces, nephews and many cousins.

Bob leaves us all and his many friends bereft.