Robert Sjöholm Bayers

Born on July 15, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan to Ethel Seaholm Bayers and William Bayers, Jr., Bob was the second of five children. He grew up in the leafy suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, running varsity track and playing the French horn in the Mount Lebanon High School band. From there it was on to Penn State where he began a life-time love affair with the Nittany Lions. With a Bachelor of Zoology in hand he began a Master’s degree at Temple University in Philadelphia while teaching science at the newly established West Philadelphia Free School. Ahead of its time in urban education, the school encouraged teachers to make the environment their school room. In that spirit Bob often invited his students—which included local gang members—to his home to cook spaghetti dinner.

Always the Renaissance man, Bob switched careers to found Capstone Construction, specializing in the restoration and renovation of historic properties. His years in Philadelphia were spent kayaking on the Schuylkill River, dabbling in photography and painting, and hanging out with his many friends, becoming a “prime” regular at Dirty Frank’s and Sassafras.

After almost two decades in Philadelphia, Bob relocated to Kalamazoo, Michigan and began work as a senior contracts administrator and security systems designer at TowerPinkster A&E working for the State of Michigan and municipalities, specializing in electronic detention security systems for jails, prisons, juvenile facilities and courthouses. While in Kalamazoo, Bob was often seen on the golf course and enjoyed minor fame as the local Trivia Champion.

In 2012, he retired to Annapolis, Maryland, sharing a house with his sister Nancy and her husband Michael in the city’s historic district, close to the water. There he spent years researching the Bayers-Sjöholm family ancestry, developing a keen interest in Viking folklore, connecting with the family’s relatives in Sweden and contributing to WikiTree. On Sundays he chatted with other classic car enthusiasts at Classic Car Coffee on City Dock, standing proudly beside his refurbished 1971 Jaguar XKE. It was in his final years that he discovered a passion for gardening and would admire his efforts from the front porch as he banged out the NYT crosswords.

He loved the sun and sunglasses, cashmere turtlenecks, Ralph Lauren dress-shirts, bespoke suits, the color navy. On warm sunny days, he’d drive his bright red Mercedes roadster around town, top down, while listening to his favorite bands– The Moody Blues, The Doors, Santana, Al Stewart, Pink Floyd.

Underneath a sometimes sardonic exterior, Bob had a tender heart. He never had a harsh word to say about anyone (except a certain former U.S. president) and was unfailingly kind to the unfortunate.

He is predeceased by his parents, his brother Bill Bayers, III, and sister Patricia Bromfield. Survivors include sisters Nancy and Marji Bayers, his two nephews and four nieces. He will be sorely missed.

A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Friday May 12, 2023 at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home 147 Duke of Gloucester Street Annapolis, MD 21401

In lieu of flowers, consider making a gift in Bob’s memory to The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403; (888) 728-3229; or go to cbf.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared on this website for the Bayers family.