Robert Charles Blasberg

We mourn the passing of our beloved father, brother, grandfather and friend Robert Charles Blasberg, age 94. On August 17th, he departed the earth bound for heavenly glory surrounded by peace and love. He held fast to his family and friends to the very end. We are so grateful for the love that he shared with all of us so generously through his smile, his kind words, his listening ear, and his penchant for jokes, laughing and love of dancing.

He was born on St. Patrick’s Day 1932 in Camden, New Jersey to Erich and Ella Blasberg and grew up there alongside his sisters Doris and Joan and his brother Erich. Raised by hard-working parents through the Great Depression, he and his siblings made their own fun through games of touch football, pinochle, and checkers. They visited the Jersey shore often, attended the local Lutheran church, and enjoyed watching TV and movies together.

Bob worked at a machine shop in Philadelphia alongside his father and brother making intricate railroad ticket hole punches until leaving to join the army near the end of the Korean War. He then studied mechanical engineering at Drexel University and had a long career as a civilian mechanical engineer examining drawings of small weaponry that the army was considering purchasing.

He met the love of his life, Nancy Blasberg on New Year’s Eve 1966. He was attracted to her zest for living and her kindness. They were kindred St. Patrick’s Day birthday souls, but he wouldn’t marry her until she learned to dance with him.

The two of them raised their daughters, Dawn and Kim, in a loving home first in southern New Jersey and then later in northern New Jersey. Bob enjoyed gardening, attending Zion Lutheran Church in Long Valley, watching the Philadelphia Eagles, and especially square dancing weekly with Nancy. They taught their daughters that marriage was a commitment that you worked hard to make better and that love was something you spread outwards through volunteering and doing small acts of kindness. One great highlight of the New Jersey years was hosting German foreign exchange student, Ingo, whose family became one with our own.

Upon retirement, he and Nancy moved to Florida where he worked for Disney, made lots of beautiful stained glass including lamps and fishes, maintained the garden at Lutheran Haven, square danced with Whirl and Twirl, played bridge and pinochle, walked, and volunteered with the flea market, Stephen Ministry and hospice. They loved spending time with their children and grandchildren, traveling to and visiting with many beloved nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters.

In 1998, he wrote a personal mission statement: “My mission is to live with courage, creativity, delight and truthfulness for my Heavenly Father each moment he gives me. To go thru life with a smile on my face, a twinkle in my eye and love in my heart. To strive to truly listen to people empathetically, to express myself encouragingly and to make a profound difference in their lives.”

He was preceded in death by his wife Nancy, his parents, Erich and Ella Blasberg, and his sister Doris. He is survived by two daughters, Kim Laura Clarke of Farnham, United Kingdom and Dawn Lynn Shedden of St. Petersburg, Florida; sons-in-law James Clarke and David Shedden; grandchildren Arianne Clarke, Caitlin Clarke, William Shedden, Robert Shedden and Bryan Shedden; his German “son” Ingo Forstner of Ansbeck, Germany; his brother Erich Blasberg of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, his sister Joan Tropiano of Clayton, New Jersey, and many much beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

The family is extremely grateful for all of the kindness, care and love shown to Bob by the compassionate staff at The Harbor, Lutheran Haven assisted living and more recently by Advent Health hospice.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3377 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, Florida on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to the Lutheran Haven General Fund: https://www.lutheranhaven.org/AboutUs/FaithfulGiving/FaithfulGivingdonate/faithfulgivingdonate.php