Obituary for Robert David Fosnough
Robert Fosnough, 81, died peacefully on February 8, 2023, after an extended hospitalization. He was preceded in death by his father Ralph, brothers, Phil and Mike, and mother, Margaret.
Survived by wife Nancy; son Pete (wife Jody), daughter Jennifer (husband Heath); grandchildren Morgan (husband Alex), Nathan, Hayden, Nicole, Peyton; great-granddaughter Genevieve.
Robert grew up in Marion, Indiana. He earned his BS in Engineering from Purdue University and MBA from Indiana University. While at Purdue, Robert met and married Nancy. He earned the rank of First Lieutenant in the US Army and designed innovative electronic equipment stateside during his service while starting a family. Positioned on the leading edge of technology, Robert entered the private sector, beginning his career at Magnavox and continuing with Essex, where he designed and patented the first touchmatic microwave control panel. He then harnessed his entrepreneurial talents in launching and growing an electronic controls business in Logansport, Indiana, from which he retired and began pursuing other passions.
One of Bob’s greatest passions was sailing. He and Nancy enjoyed sailing in Thailand, Greece, Mexico, and more local ports of call from Port Charlotte, Florida. Additionally, he was an accomplished woodworker and crafted beautiful kitchen cabinets for Nancy and heirlooms for his children and grandchildren, like cradles, cribs, a music stand, toys, and custom dog houses for the granddogs. A man with many interests, Bob collected boats, fire trucks, toys, sewing machines, tools, recipes, stories, and jokes. He also knew how to fix just about anything, as he frequently completed home improvement projects and basic repairs with great expertise.
Some of his other passions included photography, fishing, camping, canoeing, Scouting, and traveling. Most of these passions can be traced to the time he spent at Sharbot Lake, Ontario, which is practically part of his DNA. Summertime for Bob included spending time at Sharbot Lake: fishing, swimming, and clearing away the overgrowth while later in the day might involve enjoying Balderson cheese curds, fresh bread, and lemon tarts from the bakery in Perth. Perhaps one of his favorite trips abroad was exploring China before the uprising in Beijing, snapping photos of the Great Wall, and sharing American baseballs and ballpoint pens with the tour guides and interested Chinese citizens. Auctions and other opportunities to enhance his collections or simply exploring the countryside driving his bright yellow truck brought him joy, as did entertaining friends who happened to stop by while he was working on a project at Bass Lake, Indiana.
Bob was Nancy’s Sweetie, Peter’s Rock, and Jennifer’s Pinky. They, and the rest of his family and friends, will miss him greatly.
A celebration of his life will be held this summer at Bass Lake, Indiana.
Survived by wife Nancy; son Pete (wife Jody), daughter Jennifer (husband Heath); grandchildren Morgan (husband Alex), Nathan, Hayden, Nicole, Peyton; great-granddaughter Genevieve.
Robert grew up in Marion, Indiana. He earned his BS in Engineering from Purdue University and MBA from Indiana University. While at Purdue, Robert met and married Nancy. He earned the rank of First Lieutenant in the US Army and designed innovative electronic equipment stateside during his service while starting a family. Positioned on the leading edge of technology, Robert entered the private sector, beginning his career at Magnavox and continuing with Essex, where he designed and patented the first touchmatic microwave control panel. He then harnessed his entrepreneurial talents in launching and growing an electronic controls business in Logansport, Indiana, from which he retired and began pursuing other passions.
One of Bob’s greatest passions was sailing. He and Nancy enjoyed sailing in Thailand, Greece, Mexico, and more local ports of call from Port Charlotte, Florida. Additionally, he was an accomplished woodworker and crafted beautiful kitchen cabinets for Nancy and heirlooms for his children and grandchildren, like cradles, cribs, a music stand, toys, and custom dog houses for the granddogs. A man with many interests, Bob collected boats, fire trucks, toys, sewing machines, tools, recipes, stories, and jokes. He also knew how to fix just about anything, as he frequently completed home improvement projects and basic repairs with great expertise.
Some of his other passions included photography, fishing, camping, canoeing, Scouting, and traveling. Most of these passions can be traced to the time he spent at Sharbot Lake, Ontario, which is practically part of his DNA. Summertime for Bob included spending time at Sharbot Lake: fishing, swimming, and clearing away the overgrowth while later in the day might involve enjoying Balderson cheese curds, fresh bread, and lemon tarts from the bakery in Perth. Perhaps one of his favorite trips abroad was exploring China before the uprising in Beijing, snapping photos of the Great Wall, and sharing American baseballs and ballpoint pens with the tour guides and interested Chinese citizens. Auctions and other opportunities to enhance his collections or simply exploring the countryside driving his bright yellow truck brought him joy, as did entertaining friends who happened to stop by while he was working on a project at Bass Lake, Indiana.
Bob was Nancy’s Sweetie, Peter’s Rock, and Jennifer’s Pinky. They, and the rest of his family and friends, will miss him greatly.
A celebration of his life will be held this summer at Bass Lake, Indiana.