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Robert G. Romaniak, 73
July 11, 2020

Obituary

Robert George Romaniak
July 26, 1946 – July 11, 2020
Robert George “Bob” Romaniak of West Springfield, the genial, bearded man behind the Turtle Bob’s Gifts stores, died Saturday, July 11, 2020, of non-COVID causes.
Bob was born in Springfield to the late M. George Romaniak and Alice C. (Abramowicz) Romaniak on July 26, 1946. He graduated from Cathedral High School in 1964 and New Hampshire College in 1969.
Throughout his life, Bob had a series of fascinating and diverse careers.
Right after college, he worked as a computer programmer in New York City, living in Manhattan and enjoying the city’s lively theatre and arts scene. It was in New York that he took up photography, capturing beautiful scenes of life in the city, and stained glass.
After moving to California, Bob become an architectural plant-care specialist, designing and maintaining the greenery and flowers in major commercial buildings. He worked first in the Bay Area, living in San Francisco, and then in the Los Angeles area. Flowers and plants were both his work and his hobby in California.
In the late ‘80s, Bob returned to the Springfield area to help his elderly father. Bob settled in West Side, where he filled his home with the plants and art that he loved. After the death of his father in 1991, Bob began planning for his next career, and soon opened Turtle Bob’s Gifts in a small storefront in East Longmeadow. His business was popular and soon expanded, moving to several malls in the area. Turtle Bob’s finally ended up at the Holyoke Mall, with a second store in downtown Northampton, and always lived up to its motto – “Turtle Bob’s – Really Neat Stuff.”
Bob’s love for turtles led his many friends to give him turtle-themed gifts, and at the time of his death his home contained many hundreds of turtle figurines, wall hangings, cards and planters, which were given to friends and family as remembrances of Bob.
As an only child, Bob was very close to his aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents; his uncle Eugene Romaniak of West Springfield; his aunt Otilia “Toots” Witkowski and her husband William; and his cousin David Romaniak of New Hampshire. He leaves his aunt, Lillian Romaniak of West Springfield; his cousin Susan (Romaniak) Richer and her husband James Richer of East Longmeadow and their daughters Sarah (Richer) Dawson of Ohio and Jane Richer of East Longmeadow; and his cousin Cynthia Romaniak, her husband Howard Bernard and their son Barry Bernard of West Springfield. He also leaves his cousin David’s widow, Deborah Romaniak of New Hampshire, and her sons Kristopher Romaniak of New Hampshire and Jamie Romaniak of Massachusetts.
Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to the West Springfield Council on Aging, 128 Park Street, West Springfield, MA 01089-3315. To leave an online condolence message, please click link.

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Nordgren Memorial Chapel
300 Lincoln Street
Worcester, MA 01605
508-852-2161