Robert (“Bobby,” “Cisco”) Lee Gary, age 75, of Gloucester, Virginia, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on May 2, 2026 at Riverside Regional Medical Center. Bobby was born on October 14, 1950 and spent his childhood and much of his adult life in Highland Springs, Virginia.
By the time Bobby graduated from a tricycle to a bicycle, he was routinely fishing on the Chickahominy River, and when he wasn’t, he was singing and picking his guitar. Music and fishing would remain passions he pursued throughout his life.
His maternal grandfather, Walter Cavedo, instilled in him kindness and a love of the outdoors—especially for the Piankatank River, where Bobby would later be his happiest. His mother, Jean Gary, with the help of her sisters, Marilyn Gallmeyer and Linda O’Berry, instilled empathy, compassion, and a deep respect for others, qualities Bobby carried with him throughout his life.
It was these values that helped Bobby form an enormous circle of friends, each of whom knew that if they ever needed him, he would be there.
On what Bobby assumed would be a routine visit to Winn‑Dixie, he saw—and was immediately infatuated with—a striking red‑haired cashier, Patti Smith. He never overcame that infatuation. Patti became Bobby’s soulmate and his deep, everlasting love. They married on January 18, 1992 at the ocean’s edge in Key West, a place they both loved and returned to often.
Throughout their 34 years together, they supported, cared for, and loved one another, creating cherished memories in the cabin built on the banks of a tributary of the Piankatank River by his grandparents, Walter and Mattie Cavedo. The greatest fruition of Bobby and Patti’s love came on June 14, 1993, when they welcomed their precious daughter, Sommer Jean, into the world.
Bobby’s love only deepened in recent years with the births of his granddaughters, Ritsi and Evie, who enriched his life beyond measure.
In 2014, Bobby retired from a long career with IBEW Local 666 in Richmond, Virginia, and shortly afterward he and Patti moved full‑time into the cabin, where Bobby could devote his days to fishing, crabbing, and oystering. Bobby’s friendships and loyalty seemed endless; once you were his friend, you were his friend for life. His circle stretched from childhood companions with whom he continued to fish or play music, to the IBEW colleagues who shared his long electrical career, to the Piankatank neighbors who gathered for weekly socials and knew they could always count on him—whether for a boat tow or anything else they might have needed.
His kindness extended even to the wildlife around him. Birds, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and other critters appeared regularly at his cabin window, anticipating the treats they knew Bobby would offer—always with a smile.
It may have been asking too much for one heart to continue giving so much love, and so, on May 2, 2026, Bobby’s heart finally stopped.
Bobby leaves behind his heartbroken wife, Patti Gary, who is nonetheless grateful to have shared her life with him—and who always lovingly called him “Bobby Dear.” He is also survived by their daughter, Sommer Jean (Jeff), and by his most recent and enduring joys, his granddaughters, Ritsi and Evie.
He leaves as well his brother, Anthony Gary, who loved and admired him throughout his life; two sisters‑in‑law, Dana Gary, who loved him as her own brother, and Pam Hamilton (Scott), who will forever cherish their time together; and his father, Robert V. Gary.
In keeping with Bobby’s wishes, there will be no funeral, but instead a celebration of life at a date to be determined. If desired, donations may be made in Bobby’s memory to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation or the Chesapeake Conservancy, to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed that Bobby so deeply loved for future generations.