Robert Woolsey

Robert "Bob" Woolsey, age 77, of Warren, MI, formerly of Royal Oak, MI, and Pickens, SC, made his transition on Friday, May 15, 2020 in hospice care at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI. Bob was born on January 3, 1943, in Detroit, MI, the sixth of 11 children of Kenneth and Beatrice (Clermont) Woolsey. He attended school in Detroit and graduated from Patronage of St. Joseph, in 1960. Upon graduation, he worked for the City of Detroit Public Welfare where he was introduced by a coworker to Barbara Ann Pawlak. In 1968, he was drafted into the United States Army where he served in Vietnam. It was during a leave from the Army when Bob proposed to Barbara; the two were wed at Guardian Angel Church in Detroit on November 22, 1968. While Bob was in Vietnam, Barbara welcomed their first child, Elizabeth Ann (Liz), in September 1969. Upon completing his tour of duty, Robert returned home to Barbara and the couple welcomed two more children, Michael Robert (Mike), in 1972, and Kristine Lynn (Tina), in 1974. Though Bob and Barbara raised their family in Oak Park, MI, and then Royal Oak, MI, before retiring to Pickens, South Carolina, Bob was a Detroiter through and through. Growing up in a large family in the Harper and Gratiot area of Detroit provided him with the opportunity to explore the east side of the city and, one of his favorite spots, Belle Isle. His varied career allowed him to build on his intricate knowledge of the city, including jobs at Simon and Leeman in Detroit's Eastern Market, Cintas, and Clark Food Service, where he retired from in 2000. As a result, Bob was known within his family to know the location of every street and address in Detroit, a helpful and interesting base of knowledge in the days before GPS. Throughout his life, Bob avidly enjoyed bicycling, racquetball, Carolina shag, and golf. He worked hard through the week to play hard on the weekends, engaging in these pursuits to the fullest. In his retirement he continued to work hard to play hard literally, working for the local golf club, The Rock, in Pickens for golf privileges. Above all else, Bob loved spending time with his family and friends. He and Barb frequently hosted gatherings at their home where home cooked comfort food, hand poured drinks, and Motown music flowed freely. His big heart, zest for life, warm personality, and penchant for spontaneous singing and dancing made him a favorite among family and friends. Bob is survived by his wife of 51 years, Barbara; their children, Liz (Brett) Tillander, Michael Woolsey, and Kristine Woolsey; and their grandchildren Paige Woolsey and Sloane and Will Tillander. He is also survived by four sisters, Annette Keister, Jacqueline Rogers, Suzanne Woolsey, and Lisa (Michael) Weingartz; four brothers, Ronald (Zina) Woolsey, Jerry (Sue Ann) Woolsey, David Woolsey, and Mark Woolsey; and dozens of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Beatrice Woolsey; his brothers Paul (Lorraine) Woolsey and Victor (Jonnie) Woolsey; and three brothers-in-law, David McIntyre, Rex Keister, and James Rogers. A service will be held at Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Directors in Royal Oak on Wednesday, May 20, at 11 a.m. Due to current social distancing restrictions, the service can be accessed remotely at https://www.sullivanfuneraldirectors.com/obituaries/Robert-Woolsey-2/#!/PhotosVideos. A private burial will be held at Great Lakes National Cemetery immediately following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Metro Detroit Youth Clubs, 1545 E. Lincoln Ave., Royal Oak, Michigan or at www.miclubs.org.

Robert Woolsey

January 3, 1943 - May 15, 2020