Everything for one service, start to end.

Robert Ellis “Bob” Hartley, 80, of Dayton, Ohio, died on August 21, 2026, at home, surrounded by his family.

Born March 4, 1946, he graduated from Fairview High School in 1964 and served in the Army from 1966 to 1969, including one tour in Vietnam. He worked thirty-one years at the Delco plant, the last twelve as foreman, and repaired half the lawnmowers on Kenwood Avenue after he retired.

He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Margaret; his children, Anne Doyle (Tom), Robert Jr. and Susan Kelso (Mark); seven grandchildren; and his sister, Ruth Kelso. He was preceded in death by his brother, James.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, 1000 Hoover Ave, Dayton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

Robert Ellis “Bob” Hartley, 80, of Dayton, Ohio, died on August 21, 2026, at home, surrounded by his family.

Bob was born in Dayton on March 4, 1946, and stayed. He graduated from Fairview High School in 1964, spent two years at Sinclair, and was drafted in 1966; he served in the Army until 1969, including one tour in Vietnam, and spoke about it exactly twice in sixty years, both times briefly.

He married Margaret Doyle on June 12, 1968, at St. Rita’s — the same church where his funeral will be held — and they were married for fifty-seven years. They raised three children on Kenwood Avenue, in a house where Sunday dinner was at two o'clock and there were no exceptions, including for people who had married into the family and did not yet understand this.

Bob worked thirty-one years at the Delco plant, the last twelve as foreman. He was the man other men on the line went to when something was wrong at home, which is a different job from the one he was paid for and he did it anyway. After he retired he fixed lawnmowers, bicycles, storm doors and one accordion for anyone on the street who asked, and refused payment so consistently that neighbours took to leaving pies.

He could not walk past a stray dog. He was never on time for anything except work. He watched the Reds lose with the patience of a man who had decided, some time in the 1970s, that this was simply the arrangement.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret; his children, Anne Doyle (Tom) of Cincinnati, Robert Hartley Jr. of Dayton, and Susan Kelso (Mark) of Columbus; seven grandchildren; and his sister, Ruth Kelso of Toledo. He was preceded in death by his brother, James.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2026, at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, 1000 Hoover Ave, Dayton, with Fr. Daniel Meyer officiating. A luncheon will follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.