Robert Best, 86, of Rockford, Illinois passed away on April 22, 2021. He was born December 5, 1934 in Belvidere, Illinois son of Charles "Ted" and Evelyn (Havens) Best. He graduated from Belvidere High School, class of 1952, and went on to obtain his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois.

Bob married the love of his life Carol Schafman on April 4, 1959 at St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere, Illinois. The pair was blessed with 62 years of marriage, celebrating their anniversary recently.

Bob worked for Gunite Corporation for 43 years, retiring in 2001. He had many hobbies and interests including sailing, fishing, snow skiing and water skiing, travelling and gardening. He rode a motorcycle when he was young and his adventurous tendencies continued throughout his life. Bob was an animal lover in general and had a handful of run-ins with wildlife including an anaconda in the Amazon, a bear knocking his plate out of his hands when trying to dine along a shoreline and being chased by a komodo dragon! His world travels gave him many stories to share and tales to tell! He was a little league coach when his son Ted was young. He was enthralled by trains and knew all their different components. He loved going to the Rochelle Railroad Park and watching the trains. Bob was also very passionate about gardening. He cultivated many species over the years but primarily perennials. Over 1,500 people have been through garden walks in his backyard! He was also fascinated by weather and meteorology and was a member of the national rain gauge network, CoCoRaHS. However, nothing captivated Bob more than his family.

Bob is lovingly remembered and missed by his wife Carol; their children Ted (Kim) Best, Kristi (Chris) Goddard and Kathi (Greg) Gusinde; sister Donna Bachman; sisters-in-law Alice, Joyce and Mary Ellen; grandchildren Ana, Ella, Hadley, Jack and Ben, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents and beloved bulldog Sophie.

A graveside service will be held on Friday April 30, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Belvidere Cemetery. 1121 N. Main Street Belvidere, Illinois. To leave a condolence or share a memory, please visit www.AndersonFCS.com.