GELDART, Robert “Bob”
Age 66 of St. Croix, passed away March 29, 2024, at the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, with his loving family by his side, after a very courageous battle with cancer. Throughout his lengthy illness, Bob faced every new diagnosis and hurdle headon. He maintained his positive attitude and never let a new health challenge get him down, he dealt with everything as it came, with grace and determination, up until the very end.
Bob was born in Debert, NS, to Howard and Elva Geldart and was their eldest of three children. Shortly after graduating high school, Bob moved to Windsor, NS, to work for Maritime Tel and Tel (later named Bell Aliant). He spent most of his career as a Service and Install tech, retiring from the company on November 11, 2011.
Bob was married to his devoted and loving wife, Gayle (Cress) for 40 years. Bob and Gayle’s greatest source of joy was their daughter, Hana. Bob was a very proud family man. He particularly had a lot of pride in Gayle and Hana both making their careers as nurses. Bob would have never expected the ways in which Gayle and Hana would enrich his life, to his very last breath, by the care they personally provided to him.
From a very young age, Bob was on a bike, purchasing his first motorcross bike around the age of 12. His love for bikes only grew, as he grew - he lived and breathed racing, riding, tinkering with and restoring old bikes. Bob enjoyed spending time at the Atlantic Motorsport Park and following the motorcycle race circuit, across the country with his very good friend, Blaise Fougere. In his final days, Bob was working out the details to purchase yet another motorcycle, which would bring the count in his garage to over 20 motorcycles. Bob was looking forward to participating in the 50th anniversary race event at AMP, this July, and had just ordered a custom race suit.
Bob is survived by Gayle; their daughter, Hana (Dryden) Buote of Tignish, PEI; his mother, Elva; sister, Shelley (Gordon) Hannam; brother, Scott (Janet), all of Debert. Nieces and nephews, Robin (Robyn Crowe) Hannam, Alisha (Josh) Johnson, Emma (Trevor) Higgins, Lucas (Stephanie) Geldart; several great-nieces and nephews. Bob will be particularly missed by special great-niece, Audrey, whom he forged a special bond and was enjoying sharing his passion of racing motorcycles with. Bob is also survived by Gayle’s family – her parents, Maxine and Lionel Cress of Clementsvale, siblings, nieces and nephews.
Bob leaves a large void to his and Gayle’s pets – Ace, Sally, Banjo, Daisy and Anna.
Bob was predeceased by his father, Howard, in 2009.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the medical staff at the Windsor, Halifax Infirmary and Victoria General hospitals, and EHS, for the care and support they provided. In his final days, Bob received 17 units of blood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Canadian Blood Services or by giving blood, in Bob’s honour.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Lindsay Windsor Funeral Home, 194 King Street, Windsor, NS, B0N2T0. Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life, followed by a reception, will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 4th in the Lindsay Windsor Funeral Home Chapel. Family burial will be held at a later date, in Debert, NS. Online condolences may be made at: www.lindsaysfuneralhome.ca