- Date Of Death: October 14, 2014
- State: Pennsylvania
With deep regret, we announce that Robert James “Bob” Blue, 51, of Bethlehem, passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with kidney cancer, on October 14 at St. Lukes Hospice in Lower Saucon Township, PA. He and his devoted wife, Christina L “Chris” Cassidy, shared 21 years together. Bob was born in Espanola, Ontario and was the youngest child of Kenneth and Eva (nee Hamilton) Blue. After spending his early years in Webbwood, Espanola and Massey, ON, Bob moved to Sault Ste. Marie, ON with his family in 1975. Bob attended Korah Collegiate, where he was twice athlete of the year. As well as playing for the football team, Bob excelled in doubles badminton “” winning several Northern Ontario Secondary School titles with his partners. After graduating in 1988 with an Engineering Chemistry degree from Queens University in Kingston, ON, Bob started his life-long career in the cement industry, first running the laboratory at the St. Marys Cement plant in Bowmanville, ON. Five years later, Bob joined Holderbank in a role that saw him travel extensively in North, Central and South America, while performing engineering feasibility studies. In 1996, Bob and Chris accepted a two year project assignment in Guatemala City, little realizing that they would not return to live in Canada again. Project assignments in Colorado Springs, CO and Baden, Switzerland followed. In 2005, Bob joined Heidelberg (Lehigh Hanson) Cement, in their Allentown, PA technology center. The final role of his career was as Vice President of Engineering. Bob was a gregarious person, with many interests. He loved to travel and explore different cultures and cuisines (especially the beer). He travelled to nearly 60 countries, mainly in the Americas and Europe – one of his last major trips was hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Chris in 2013. Bob was also an avid sports fan, both participating and watching. He was a keen hiker and biker – and a life-long fan of the Miami Dolphins and the Montreal Canadiens. Finally, Bob enjoyed spending time with his friends, his family and his dogs. Bob will be greatly missed by his family, friends and co-workers and always remembered as a loving and generous person, who was always fun to be around and was often a bad influence. The family would like to thank his friends, neighbours and co-workers for all their support and kindness during Bobs seven-month illness, as well as all of the doctors, nurses, therapists and other health care workers who treated him. Special thanks to the staff and volunteers at St. Lukes Hospice, who made Bobs last days as comfortable as possible. Survivors: in addition to his loving wife, Chris are his mother Eva, brother Doug (Tatiana), sister Carol, brother-in-law Craig Cassidy (Carrie), sister-in-law Carole Cassidy, mother-in-law Barbara Blocker (late Larry), father-in-law Cass Cassidy (Terry) and three nieces (Rose, Maggie and Polina).
