Robert L. ‘Bob’ Elliott, active in community

Robert L. “Bob” Elliott, 95, was born Sept. 12, 1929, and passed peacefully Saturday, April 12, 2025, after a brief illness. He resided at Manor House in Seaford since 2020, and was formerly of Georgetown.

Born to the late Charles and Hilda Elliott in Seaford, Bobby, as he was known back then, was the sixth of seven children. Bob spent his young years in Seaford and Bridgeville before his farming family moved to Georgetown. Bob was a graduate of Georgetown High School Class of 1947, where he was class president. He took his responsibilities seriously, and planned many class events following graduation including class breakfasts at local restaurants which were attended up until COVID-19!

During 1947-48, Bob owned and operated an Esso gas station in Georgetown with his brother. He then went to work as a lineman for Delmarva Power for four years but found his true calling with Diamond State Telephone company, starting as an installer in 1952 and retiring from Verizon management 34 years later. In 1950, he married his high school sweetheart Vera Steigelman, and they made their home in Georgetown, raising four children. During the 1960s, he was instrumental in building a radio station for Western Electric at Fort Miles in Lewes to monitor foreign sub activity off the coast of Delaware. He served for one year as president of the Telephone Pioneers and served two years on the council’s board of directors. Through their involvement in the Pioneers as well as the Mid-Sussex AARP, Bob and Vera enjoyed many bus trips. He was a member of Talking Books, building/repairing assistive technology for the blind for 40 years.

Bob enjoyed having a home garden where he grew fresh vegetables for his family, and he enjoyed building various projects from wood. He built furniture for his home and even toddler bed frames, desks and bookshelves for his grandchildren. His family thought he could repair anything, and he was often found tinkering in his backyard shed. In 1969, Bob and Vera had the outside shell of a small cottage built in Bethany Beach and he, along with the assistance of Vera and his two older children, finished the inside. Many summer vacations were spent in Bethany at the beach or string crabbing from his small boat on the salt pond. He loved taking all of his grandchildren for boat rides on the lagoon and to the Salt Pond. Bob continued to spend his summers at the Bethany Beach cottage long after Vera’s passing.

Bob had been a member of the Masons and the Odd Fellows. He attended St. John’s Church at Springfield Crossroads prior to his move to the Manor House. Unfortunately, Bob’s move to the Manor House coincided with the advent of the COVID shutdown, but once the community opened again, he found the staff and residents very compassionate and truly enjoyed making new friends in his new community.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Vera, to whom he was married to for 48 years; his youngest son Kirk; his five older siblings; and his dear companion Helen Mumford.

He is survived by his sister, Patricia “Patsy” Bryan of Seaford; his children, Keith (Alice) of Laurel, Karin Adkins (Jim) of Harbeson and Karla Riebel; his grandchildren, Kevin Elliott, Tommy Riebel (Chanoknan), Krystal Bush (Mark), Jamin Adkins, Kaitlyn Adkins Sepesy (Steven) and Drew Adkins (Sarah); seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 12 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, at Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market St. Georgetown, and a time of visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Interment will be held at Union Cemetary in Georgetown.

In lieu of flowers, family suggests contributions to Habitat for Humanity or Food Bank of Delaware in Milford.

The family wishes to thank all involved in the wonderful care Bob received at the Manor House while he was an independent resident and during his illness at Willowbrook Court, as well as the care he received at TidalHealth Nanticoke and his hospice care through VITAS.