Robert F Farrugia

Robert ( Bob) Farrugia 93, previously of Weidman, Michigan, passed away Sunday, June 25, 2023, at Clyde E. Lassen Veterans Nursing Home in St. Augustine, Florida. He was born August 10, 1929, in Detroit the second child of Salvatore and Beatrice (Long) Farrugia.

Bob enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 19, 1946 as a private first class. He spent two years at Quantico, Virginia. This is where he got his first taste of his love of competitive wrestling.

Upon discharge from two years of active duty he finished up his high school studies at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Glenna Wood, also of Detroit, Michigan. When the Korean War broke out, he was called back into active-duty service. Bob and Glenna decided to marry before he had to return and were married on a very snowy day November 25, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan. They celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2020 before Glenna passed away.

Upon discharge on August 1, 1952 he started an apprentice program as an electrician for Ford Motor Company in Detroit, where he continued to work until his retirement at the age of 58. Shortly after he married, he and Glenna moved to the “country”, first living in Belleville and later New Boston, Michigan. He built a beautiful two-story family home himself along with some friends when his family expanded to five children. He also started up a community wrestling program for grade school children, which his son (Sam) and the neighbor children all participated in. As the boys grew, he moved up with them, taking on the responsibility of becoming Huron Jr High and then Huron High School Wrestling Coach. These boys were very successful and won many tournaments around the state of Michigan. He is remembered fondly for dedicating many years to the Huron Valley Wrestling Club and the Huron school district. Bob was also an avid hunter and had the opportunity to travel to Montana and Colorado to hunt elk and mule deer. It was always his dream to move “up north” after retirement and compromised with Glenna on moving to Lake Isabella by Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. There they enjoyed golf and boating with visits from their children, nephews, nieces and grandchildren.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife Glenna, his sister and brother-in-law Alice and George Post, his brother-in-law Bill Elston and his daughter and son-in-law John and Loretta Streeter. He leaves behind his sister-in-law Marilyn Elston of Jacksonville, Florida and his remaining four children, Nancy Gase (Arthur) of St Augustine, Florida, Peggy Farrugia-Sheats (Mark) of Whitmore Lake, Michigan, Samuel Farrugia (Sherry) of Flat Rock, Michigan and Sally Roberts (Glenn) of St. Augustine, Florida; 10 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

There will be a graveside memorial service on July 11, 2023 at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Hospice and Palliative Care, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32257.