IN MEMORIAM: Robert Anthony ’65
The Rev. Robert Williams Anthony, Class of 1965, 82, died Friday, August 26 at home of complications of Parkinson’s Disease, following a long and distinguished ministry in the Episcopal Church. He and his wife Mary Ann (Lytle) Anthony were married in The Chapel of the Good Shepherd 58 years ago, in 1964, just days before he began his senior year. According to Mary Ann they “were among the first, if not the first, to be married under the relaxed marriage rules instituted that academic year.” Prior to 1964 seminarians could be married before entering seminary, but otherwise were required to wait until after graduation to marry. The new rule permitted marriage between semesters, but not during term.
Born in Port Chester, NY, he lived in Brooklyn, NY, and then in Providence, RI where he attended St. Dunstan’s Choir School and then Moses Brown School. He was a 1962 graduate of Amherst College before the call to ordained ministry and attendance at General. He was ordained Deacon in Providence in 1965, and Priest in 1966 by The RT Reverend John Seville Higgins. He was a summer resident of the family cottage on Lake Wequaquet from birth until his retirement in 2006 when he became a year-round resident of Centerville.
Anthony served parishes in RI, CT, and MA, beginning as a Curate at St. Barnabas in Warwick, RI. From there he was called to Christ Church in West Haven, CT, Church of the Atonement in Westfield, MA, and Christ Church in Westerly, RI where he served the last 18 years of his parish ministry. Soon after embarking on his Cape Cod retirement he answered calls to be Interim Priest to St. Ann’s on Block Island, followed by interim Priest to St. Peter’s in Osterville, and Associate to the Rector of St. Mary’s, Barnstable. He was Chaplain to Thirwood Place. He crowned his ministry as Priest in Charge at St. Andrew’s by the Sea, Hyannis Port for 7 years, retiring September 12, 2021 as Priest in Charge Emeritus. On that day, his 57th wedding anniversary, he assisted in the baptism of his third great grandchild.
Anthony received many honors during his years of service to the communities where lived. He was Chaplain to several fire departments, and served on innumerable community boards as well as the Standing Committee of the Diocese of RI. He was president of the Centerville Library Association for 6 years during a time of fundraising for its most recent expansion and followed in the footsteps of his father who was president for 34 years before him. Possessed of a beautiful tenor voice, nurtured as a boy soprano at St. Dunstan’s, he sang at Amherst College and was tenor lead in Gilbert and Sullivan productions in seminary. In West Haven he sang in the Yale Glee Club and various musical theater productions, and in Westfield he sang in the Westfield festival Chorus and the New Valley Singers, often performing solos. In Westerly he sang in the Chorus of Westerly for 18 years, and in retirement sang with the Chatham Chorale, Chatham Chorale Chamber Singers, and We Are the Men male voice choir. Singing together was a highlight of their marriage for him and Mary Ann.
A man of many passions, he was an inveterate and eclectic collector. He amassed organ and classical recordings, along with the necessary means to play them and speakers to hear them. He had a library of over 3000 books on wide ranging topics. He and Mary Ann loved sailing and spent many happy days sailing New England waters in boats that seemed to increase in size over the years, culminating in a 36 foot Cape Dory. Bob scorned “dinky” boats. His passion for model trains began with a circle of track around the Christmas tree and evolved into an expansive HO layout in his Centerville basement complete with scenery, buildings, sound effects, and electric switching. He and the boys enjoyed painting model figures together, a hobby the boys still pursue. In retirement Bob’s lifelong passion for pet rabbits flourished unrestrained. His rabbit harem grew from one to seven, each in its own cage in the garage.
Surviving besides his wife are two sons, David (Elaine) of Centerville, Jeffrey (Kimberly) of Winter Garden, FL; Three grandchildren, Benjamin (Laura) of Centerville, Daniel (Nicole) of West Yarmouth, and Cassidy (Gavin McKay) of Manchester, CT. He was predeceased by his parents Robert O. Anthony and Gladys W. Anthony of Centerville and by a granddaughter Brittney Nicole Anthony.
The funeral service was held Saturday, September 10 at Saint Andrews by the Sea, 12 Irving Avenue, Hyannis Port.