Robert Henry Poulos

Robert Henry (Bob) Poulos passed away Thursday, March 26, 2015, at the age of 95.

Bob was born Dec. 16, 1919, in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in Astoria, Queens.

He was the older of two sons of Gus and Elsie Poulos, first generation immigrants from Greece and Croatia.

Bob served his country honorably in the U.S. Army during World War II.

In 1946, after returning home, he married Catherine (Kay) Murphy, whom he met in New York City. Kay was a hat check girl at the Hotel Commodore at Grand Central Station where Bob began a long career as a bartender.

Bob and Kay settled and raised their family of three children in Whitestone, where they remained until 1985 when they relocated to the village of Florida.

On July 7, 2013, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.

Bob had a strong work ethic and coupled with good health, hardly ever missed a day of work during his 31 years at the Hotel Commodore, upon its closing in 1977.

He worked in several other hotels in New York City and, upon moving Florida, N.Y., began working at Brookside Manor in Middletown.

He retired years later due to declining vision.

Bob’s devotion in life was to his family, work and his Catholic faith. He was a long-time member of St. Luke Church in Whitestone and St. Stephen Church in Warwick.

He was a stamp and coin collector and loved the professional sports of baseball and boxing.

In his later years as his children began families of their own, his greatest joy was being with his six grandchildren. He loved to travel, especially to the beach and theme parks with the grand kids.

Then came eight great-grandchildren whom he enjoyed just as much.

He was a talented artisan, first in wood working with a specialty of crafting beautiful inlaid chess boards and other pieces.

At age 68 he attended classes for the art of making stained glass pieces. More than 50 of his works from both of these hobbies decorate the homes of his children and grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife, Catherine, in 2013 at the age of 92.

Bob is survived by: his daughters Kathy McMahon (Jim) of Warwick and Virginia Riga (Lou) of Columbia, S.C.; and son Robert Poulos and his fiancee Kathleen Gallagher of Scarsdale; six grandchildren: Patrick McMahon (Amy) of Arlington, Virginia, Peter McMahon (Karen) of Coppell, Texas, Monica (McMahon) Cancellieri (John) of Highland Mills, Liz (McMahon) Allen (Gabe) of New York City, Chris Studstill of Columbia, S.C., and Jessica (Studstill) Gallagher (Anthony) of Boston, Mass.

Other surviving family members include his brother, three sisters-in-law, three cousins and seven nieces and nephews.

Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 30 at St. Stephen Church in Warwick, followed by interment in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Parkinson’s Foundation.

For further information or to send an online condolence, see www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.