Robert William “Bob” DeLisle Sr., 87, passed away of natural causes on July 18, 2016, at his home in Millville, Del. He was born Jan. 6, 1929, near Audubon Borough, Camden County, N.J., the youngest of five children of parents René and Anne Elizabeth (Jones) DeLisle.
The family moved to Catonsville, Md., in 1933 and settled into the Eden Terrace neighborhood on Woodlawn Drive. He graduated in 1946 from Mt. St. Joseph’s High School, where he lettered in three varsity sports: football, lacrosse and swimming. DeLisle graduated from Loyola College in Baltimore in 1949 with a degree in bio-chemistry. He was a standout collegiate lacrosse player for his beloved Loyola Greyhounds.
DeLisle enjoyed a successful 38-year career at the Proctor & Gamble Manufacturing Co. in Baltimore, where he held many staff and management positions before his retirement in 1988. He served as a second-lieutenant in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed in Port Arthur, Texas. He later remained active in the USCG Reserve in Baltimore.
A chance meeting at the Beach Club on 9th Street in Ocean City, Md., on July 5, 1951, led to his marriage with Gerri Kaplan (1932-2007). They settled in the Cub Hill area of Baltimore County, where they raised five children. In 1994, they moved to Millville.
DeLisle is survived by his children, René DeLisle and his wife, Carol, of Sykesville, Md., Robert W. DeLisle Jr. and his wife, Patty, of Cub Hill, Md., Claire Glaeser and her husband, Rick, of Bishopville, Md., Stewart DeLisle and his spouse, Kris, of Ellicott City, Md., and Ann Ault and her husband, David, of Ellicott City; and Gloria Ritterpusch of Parkville, Md.; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial was scheduled for July 22, 2016, at St. Ann Catholic Church, Bethany Beach, Del. Interment was to be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Robert W. DeLisle ’46 to Mount Saint Joseph High School; 4403 Frederick Ave.; Baltimore, MD 21229. Condolences may be sent online at www.melsonfuneralservices.com.