Robert Freeman "Bob" Grover passed away peacefully at his home in Clearwater, Florida on Oct. 26, 2025.

Bob was born on Aug. 12, 1933 at St. Andrews Hospital in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, the son of Nat and Bea Grover. He was delivered by Dr. George Gregory.

Bob grew up on School Street -- right next to the school -- where he developed a lifelong love of sports. With a key to the gym, Bob could often be found shooting hoops. He developed a sweet left-handed jump shot that almost always went in (whenever he managed to get the ball away from Mac Andrews). He also loved baseball, a passion sparked when his father and Billy McPhee took him by train to see the Red Sox and Ted Williams play. A talented athlete, Bob earned multiple varsity letters in both baseball and basketball before graduating from the old Boothbay Harbor High School in 1950.

After earning a degree from Auburn School of Business in 1953, Bob served proudly in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood, Texas from 1953 to 1955. Upon returning home, he married his eighth grade sweetheart from Southport, Barbara Buck. They shared 52 wonderful years together until Barbara's passing in 2008. 

In 1955, Bob joined his father at Grover's Hardware and became owner after Nat and Bea's passing in 1966 and 1969. Under his leadership and tireless work ethic, Grover's grew from a tiny, old store into the thriving business it remains today. He expanded the store twice -- first in 1966 and again in 1989 -- and even built the parking lot himself (famously paving over his mother's vegetable garden while Bea was wintering in Florida). Bob did it all, from bookkeeping to unloading delivery trucks well into his 70s. His knowledge of every department of the hardware business will never be matched.

There are countless stories of Bob's kindness at Grover's. In 1980, a young, ponytailed man, new to town, asked to charge a $200 belt sander. Bob looked him over and said, "Sure, you have an honest face." Forty-five years later, the ponytail is long gone, but that same customer still has both the belt sander and a deep loyalty to Grover's. Bob was known for extending that same trust to local fishermen, often telling them to pay their bills "when the shredders strike." Most of all, he was proud to have hired Kathleen Hallinan and Gary Dickinson, who have worked at Grover's for 47 and 38 years.

Bob believed deeply in community service. He served as a Boothbay Harbor selectman from 1960 to 1968 and was among those who greeted President John F. Kennedy during his 1962 visit to Maine. He and Barbara were active members of the Lincoln County Republican Club, attending conventions and hosting gatherings for many of Maine's leading political figures. Bob was a 50-year member of the Seaside Lodge and served on the boards of the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District, Memorial Library, St. Andrews Hospital, and Key Bank. He also led the St. Andrews Free Bed Fund for many years and served as president of the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club, where he maintained perfect attendance for a remarkable stretch.

In retirement, Bob and Barbara made a second home in Clearwater, Florida, where they continued their lifelong habit of giving back. They volunteered together at St. Mary's Soup Kitchen, serving meals to the homeless, and at the American Legion, where Bob earned the nickname, "Bingo Bob." (Though, in fairness, they never let him actually call out "Bingo!" -- no one could understand his Maine accent.) Perhaps his most memorable volunteer job was patrolling Clearwater Beach for the police department, helping to enforce the "No Thongs on the Beach" rule -- a task he took with good humor and dedication.

Bob made friends wherever he went and was especially grateful for the wonderful community at Braeloch Village in Clearwater. The Grover family extends heartfelt thanks to those friends and neighbors for their care and kindness in his final years.

Bob never drank milk or coffee. He never had a computer or smartphone. He said hello to strangers and greeted them with a smile. Simply put, there will never be another quite like Bob Grover.

Bob is survived by his children, Kathy and Merritt. He was deeply proud of Kathy for earning her medical degree and becoming Dr. Katherine Grove, and equally proud of Merritt for carrying on the family legacy at Grover's Hardware alongside Bob's favorite daughter-in-law, Trisha. He is also survived by his grandchildren -- Justin DeRepentigny of Kennebunk, Tanner and Alyson Grover of Boothbay Harbor, and by his great-granddaughters, Everly and Piper Boyd of Boothbay Harbor.

Per Bob's request, there will be no service. He lived a full and joyful life and will be fondly remembered and deeply missed in both the Boothbay and Clearwater communities.