Robert E. Stoops

Robert E. Stoops, also affectionately known as Grandpa Stoops, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 13, 1923. He passed away in his residence in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on November 25, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of creativity, dedication, and unyielding love for his family. Bob was a man of many talents, including a love of music and teaching himself to play guitar and piano, but jewelry design was his passion. He dedicated over four decades of his life to crafting beautiful pieces of scholarship jewelry for companies such as Herff Jones, Spies, Jostens, and Simmons in Chicago, IL, Princeton, IL, Attleboro, MA, and ultimately Providence, RI, until his retirement in 1988. Post retirement, he returned to his love of painting and creating music on his keyboard.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Marilyn Stoops, his mother, Agnes Lange Bennett, and his great-granddaughter, Kelsey Adams. Bob is survived by his five loving children: Judith Logan (and husband John Logan), Lorrie Stoops Verplaetse, Susan Stoops (and husband Jim Rainville), Bob A. Stoops (and wife, Vicky Stoops), and Barbara Stoops; his six grandchildren: Brian Adams (and wife Michelle Adams), Jennifer Adams Orellana (and husband Carlos Orellana), Chris Verplaetse (and wife Michelle Kemper Verplaetse), Marlon Rainville (and wife Sydney Kirby), Hannah Stoops Baird (and husband Andrew Baird), Ben Stoops; his four great-grandchildren: Ashley Adams (and partner Jordan Issler), Carlee Adams, Sabin Verplaetse, Brooks Baird; and his great-great-grandchild: Delaney Issler. Bob's loving spirit continues to live on through his family and the countless lives he touched.

Bob's craftsmanship, his artistic vision, and a growing faith led him to a new ministry while in his 90's, when he began to create "faith emblems". Inspired by his surroundings at the Our Lady of LaSalette National Shrine, Bob created numerous metal, hand-held sized sculptures, with religious messages addressing life's purpose, and our relationship with God. As long as his health allowed, Bob visited LaSalette daily, where he would, in his words "visit my Marilyn in spirit and find the silence I need". He would often meet visitors at the shrine, to whom he would give one of his faith emblems. Bob's story of his faith emblems ministry can be viewed via YouTube, by searching "Real to Reel Bob Stoops".

A veteran of World War II, Bob served his country in the US Coast Guard and was an active participant in the D-Day invasion at Normandy. He enjoyed his affiliation with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, both in Illinois, and most recently in Attleboro, MA, where they celebrated his 100th birthday by taking him out on a ship at the Coast Guard Station in Woods Hole. (View his VFW 100th celebration on YouTube by searching "VFW Bob Stoops 100th birthday"). Bob's lifelong expertise at art and design included formal studies at the American Academy of Art College in Chicago and the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Moreover, Bob was also an active member of the Catholic Church's Knights of Columbus, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society.

The family invites you to join them in celebrating Bob's life. Visitations will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 4:00-7:00 pm EST at the Duffy-Poule Funeral Home, located at 20 Peck Street, Attleboro, Massachusetts. The following day, a Mass will be held at St. John's Church at 10:00 am EST across the street from Duffy-Poule, followed by interment at St. John's Cemetery at 11:15 am EST. In memory of Bob, we encourage you to share your photos, stories, and memories of him on his Duffy-Poule memorial page. Each shared memory serves as a comfort to the family and paints a fuller picture of Bob's remarkable life. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to St. Vincent DePaul Society or Hope Health Hospice.

For the final few years of Bob's life, he was particularly intrigued by the spiritual power of silence. He read from a book entitled The Power of Silence, given to him by his son. And he studied the words of Mother Teresa of Avila, who wrote of "the silence of the heart." If he were with us today, he might share the message of his own faith emblem entitled Faith Mountain: "Take me through FAITH MOUNTAIN today…I will travel to its end, and seek the valley of SILENCE, GOD'S gift to me…In this silence I will ask God for his counsel."