Robert “Bob” Christie Duff, 85, died September 15, 2011, at Bay Pines VA Hospital, with family members at his bedside.

He was born in Englewood, NJ, and lived most of his life in New Jersey, most recently in Holmdel and Aberdeen, before moving to St. Petersburg in 2002.

He was a World War II veteran. He joined the Marines toward the end of his senior year in high school and served in the Pacific. He was in the Marine Bombing Squadron Six-Fourteen Fleet Marine Force.  Following his discharge, he attended Duke University on an athletic scholarship, playing three sports, basketball, his #1 sport, baseball and soccer. He worked for many years in the industrial advertising field in New York City, as an executive and sales representative for Thomas Publishing Company and MacRae’s Blue Book.

A super sports fan, especially of the Duke Blue Devils, he loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, and going to the beach or, as he often referred to it, the “big water.” He was also a jokester and loved getting people to laugh. Before moving to Florida, he was a long-time active member of the Holmdel Community United Church of Christ, where he helped restore its two historic cemeteries.

He was a loving son, husband, brother, parent and grandfather.

He’s survived by his loving family: wife Marilyn Esther; three sons, Robert Warren and wife Tere, Randolph, NJ, William Grant, Morris Plains, NJ, Edward Lester and wife Sylvia Elena, Sarasota, FL; two daughters, Patricia Marilynn and husband Barry Howard Zimmerman, Fort Lauderdale, and Susan Roberta and husband Jeffery John Timinski, Paoli, PA; two sisters, Dorothy Marie Davis, Largo, FL; and Marjorie Louise Cangiano and husband Franklin Paul, St. Petersburg; and four grandchildren, Zack Patrick and Siena Louise Zimmerman, Sophie Grace Timinski and Leah Elena Duff. He was predeceased by a daughter, Christie Gale.

Please make donations to the American Heart Association in lieu of flowers.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Veterans Funeral Care, Clearwater. A ceremony will be held at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Bay Pines National Veterans Cemetery, Bay Pines, FL.