Robert Ray Dove was born in Kewanee, Mississippi on April 9, 1936 to the late Adline and Hurley Dove. Bob was raised in Meridian, Mississippi. He was one of eight children. Following graduation from TJ Harris High School, he entered the US Army.

The Army provided Bob with many travel experiences, including Washington state and Germany. He was honorably discharged and eventually migrated North to pursue higher education. Bob enrolled in Youngstown State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. While he was at Youngstown State University, he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

While working at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, Bob met the love of his life, Juanita Taylor. With the love and support of family members, the couple married on September 28, 1963 and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Soon after the couple moved to Cleveland, Bob worked at St. Vincent/Charity Hospital as a lab technician. After some time, Bob landed a job as a substitute teacher for the Cleveland Municipal School District. Bob found his calling as an educator and became a permanent middle school science teacher. In due time, his school’s administrators saw his leadership potential and he was promoted to the position of Assistant Principal. This was the position from which Bob would retire in 1995.

As he was building his career, Bob and Juanita began building their family. The couple had two adoring daughters: Lisa and Kimberly. Bob had a way of making everyone around him feel as though they were important. He assigned pet names for his family, like ‘Nit (“Neet”), Bright Eyes, and Sputnik. Not only did he make both daughters feel like they were his favorite, but he tried to make his extended family feel the same.

Education was very important to Bob and he encouraged everyone he could to pursue higher education. He saw promise in almost every young person he came in contact with, and quietly invested in their educational goals. Since he believed in practicing what he preached, Bob continued his pursuit of higher education by earning his Master of Science degree in Education when his daughters were still young. Bob was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Meridian, Mississippi until he transferred his membership to Aldersgate United Methodist Church, where he attended regularly before he became ill.

In his spare time, Bob enjoyed tinkering around the house, doing yard work, reading a good book (especially by James Patterson), watching sports (Go Browns!), and listening to the Golden Oldies (especially The Commodores). Another favorite pastime of Bob’s was cultivating relationships with his three granddaughters. He was “crazy ’bout those girls”!

Bob is preceded in death by brothers Thomas (Florine), Otis, Willie (Clara), Arthur, Oscar, and sister, Jeanette Dillard (Frank).

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of over 60 years, Juanita Dove; his two daughters: Lisa Blair (Tom) and Kimberly Richardson; three granddaughters: Brielle, Taylor, and Jordyn; one brother: Cecil (Mary deceased), one brother-in-law: Wallace Taylor (JoAnn deceased), two sisters-in-law: Gladys Dove (Arthur deceased) and Patricia Halsell (Harrison deceased), and a host of nieces, nephews, family members, and friends.