Bob was born in South Portland on May 8, 1933, the son of Leonard and Margaret (Feury) Cash. He attended Holy Cross Grammar School and graduated from South Portland High School in 1951. He loved participating in sports and played football and basketball. He was co-captain of the football team. He then attended Bates College, graduating in1955 with a degree in history. Right after graduation, he married Jean Campbell, his high school sweetheart. They moved to Hartford, CT where he was employed by Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. He entered the Army in 1955, and worked in the counterintelligence corp, doing background investigations and interviewing people for security clearance. After serving for two years, Bob returned to Maine and was employed by Unionmutual Life Insurance Company (later Unum, now UnumProvident). Bob worked in California for two years, but missed Maine and returned to Unionmutual. One of his most significant achievements while at Unionmutual was instituting Medicare Part B. He earned many certifications for life insurance underwriting. Bob was a dedicated employee of Unionmutual, and over the years was promoted to Vice President, then President of newly-formed First Unum New York, until retiring from UnumProvident.
Bob had a lifelong passion for literature and poetry, always finding time to relax with a volume of poetry or Shakespeare. After retirement, Bob continued learning at the Seniors College at USM, first taking courses in Italian and then teaching several classes on New England poets, in particular Emily Dickinson, and 3 courses on Dante’s Inferno at OLLI.
Among Bob’s greatest passions were birding and protecting the environment. He served as President of the York County Audubon Society and was on the board of the Maine Audubon Society. He volunteered for the Nature Conservancy and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust for many years. He loved early morning birding walks in the Maine woods, marshes, and coastline, and led many birding walks, mostly in Cape Elizabeth. His other interests included going to camp and canoeing and boating and enjoying the lake with his family and dog, Spot.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Eugene and Philip, a sister Joanna Morrill; and half-sister Mary Giggey. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jean; a sister Lenora Kierstead and her husband Jim of North Hampton, NH; sister in law, Louise Cash of Marlboro, MA; his children, Paul Cash of Torrington, CT; Caroline Bracci and her husband Michael of South Windsor, CT; and Jennifer Cash of South Portland; grandchildren Michelle Bracci and Matthew Bracci; and many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends may call from 4-7 P.M. on January 24, 2019 at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home 199 Woodford St. Portland, ME 04103. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 11 A.M. at St. Pius X Church 492 Ocean Ave, Portland, ME 04103. Immediately following Mass, there will be a reception at the Atrium at The Cedars, 640 Ocean Ave. Portland. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 12PM.
In lieu of flowers a contribution may be made in Bob’s name to the Maine Audubon Society.
To offer your condolences and sign Bob's online guestbook, please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com
