ROBERT MARIS Obituary

Dr. Robert C. "Bob" Maris, 70, of Mansfield, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at Broad Acres Health & Rehabilitation Center in Wellsboro.
His battle with cancer and renal failure has ended, following a lengthy stay in the hospital and nursing home. Despite his many years of dealing with medical issues, Bob still remained committed to his job, his friends, and his community with his "punny" sense of humor.
Bob was born on February 9, 1954, in Marlin, Texas to E.L. and Ava Maris. He grew up in Navasota, Texas, graduating from Navasota High School in 1972. Immediately after graduation, he started attending Texas A&M University where he met the love of his life, Yvonne Starkey.
Bob received his B.S. degree in Biological Oceanography (cum laude) from Texas A&M in December 1975. He and Yvonne married on August 21, 1976, and immediately left for Hattiesburg, Mississippi where Bob began his master's degree at the University of Southern Mississippi. He completed his M.S. in Marine Biology in May 1980. Next stop, Norfolk, Virginia, where Bob began his Ph.D. studies at Old Dominion University. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography in May 1986.
Following graduation from Old Dominion, Bob was hired at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania for two years before transferring to Mansfield University of Pennsylvania in Mansfield in 1986, where he lived and taught for the remainder of his life.
During his time at Mansfield, he was Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA and Cheerleading Advisor for many years. He was also very active with several student organizations and athletics. He was not just an advisor, he was involved.
Bob was a Boy Scout and received the Eagle Scout award while in high school. He was a member of many professional Biology organizations while in college. While at Cheyney and Mansfield, he was a member of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania University Biologists where he held several offices. Bob also received many awards and recognitions while at Mansfield including Faculty-Student Athletic Mentor, Outstanding Senior Mentor, and Outstanding Mentor of Women Students.
Bob was also a community leader in Mansfield. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mansfield. As a member of the Manfield Lions Club for 34 years, Bob served as president and secretary and received the Melvin Jones Fellow (the highest award in Lions) in 2011.
In his "spare" time, Bob also enjoyed several hobbies: photography, Civil War history, Fantasy Football, traveling and cruising, going to country music festivals and Broadway plays, and playing Pokémon. He loved the Dallas Cowboys.
Bob is preceded in death by his parents and his cousin, Frances Williams.
Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Yvonne, and his cousin, Linda Sue Williams, distant family members, many friends and former students.
His funeral services were held this past weekend at Wilston-Currie Funeral Home in Mansfield. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Mansfield Foundation, Mansfield, where a scholarship fund to benefit Biology students for Commonwealth University-Mansfield has been set up in his name, www.wilstoncurriefh.com.