Robert W. Holtby was born on New Years Eve in 1949 and passed on Christmas morning 2022.

He was born in Geneva N.Y., and raised there by his mother Eunice Holtby along with his brothers Thomas and Steven Holtby. After graduating from DeSales High
School, he joined the Army and was stationed in Texas and then studied geology at UTEP. He met and married Donna Cormier in El Paso and they moved to Maine in 1977, where he spent so much time hiking, camping, canoeing down the Saco with his family.

He was a member of the North Fryeburg Fire Department and loved working at the chicken barbecue applying his “secret sauce.” He loved everything about Maine life.

Bob, Bobby, Hopy, Hopeless, Papa. He was a hard working carpenter by trade who was rich in love, family, and friendship but was terrible at poker and at pool. He was the most loyal fan of the worst beer ever canned, Old Milwaukee, and always joked that he drank it because he never had to share it with anyone

He loved playing, hunting, snowmobiling, playing cards and most of all shooting the sh*t with all of his friends. He never missed a Thursday night softball game at Westaways, even when he could no longer play he was there to loudly “cheer” on the other players. He loved all New York teams, especially the Yankees and loved to talk trash about the Red Sox. He was embarrassing to sit with at Fenway Park.

He was quick to laugh and loved making other people laugh, he often thought he was the funniest person around, even if he was the only one who thought that. He was proud to be Italian and loved making his own sauce and gnocchi to share with others. He was always so much fun, swimming, sledding, play- ing games and puzzles and tickling us kids until we begged for mercy. He loved all of our pets and all of our friends like they were his own children.

He was Papa to his son Ryan Proctor (and favorite daughter-in-law Kathy), his daughters, Sara (and favorite son-in-law Peter), Laura, and Katherine Holtby, to his son Timothy who passed too soon after entering the world, Papa to Nicholas and Nicole Leblanc and to his six grandsons, Zach, Dylan, Jake, Kaleb, Bentley and Beckett, all of whom he loved so much. He was a best friend and partner to Sharon Leblanc for the last 15 years. He loved nothing more than sitting on the deck overlooking Moose Pond, doing the crossword puzzle and asking, “I wonder what all the poor people are doing today” with a laugh.

There will be a private gathering in the spring.

In his memory, please consider a donation to Denmark Rescue or to Jen’s Friends Cancer Foundation.