Husband, father and grandfather Robert Smith Bruguiere died peacefully at home on Feb. 19 after a brief illness. He was 89.

He was also known as BobbyB and Robby the Robot.

He was the son of Altha Bunnel Smith Bruguiere and Harold Oscar Bruguiere. His maternal grandparents were Hattie Mae Bunnel Smith and Henry Carpenter Smith, a founder of Glen Rock, N.J. His paternal grandparents were Mary and Oskar Bruguier, who owned pharmacies and the Bruguier Chemical Company in Newark, N.J.

Bob grew up in Plainfield, N.J. and attended Camp Calumet on Lake Ossipee in New Hampshire with his father, who was a senior camp counselor for more than 11 years. He learned about sailing, woodworking and the joys of nature. He developed a great love for the mountains, hiking and, later, skiing. After camp he would spend the remainder of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard.

His father was a high school teacher and track coach who coached Bob and his classmate Milt Campbell in cross country. Both tried out for the Olympics. His father promoted Milt Campbell, who won the decathlon in 1956, becoming the first African American to win a gold medal.

Bob was a member of the U.S. Air Force and earned an honorable discharge as a medical administrator. He built his first sailboat in his room in the Air Force.

In 1961 he graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a degree in business administration and education. He had various careers as a high school business education teacher; the New England sales representative for McGraw-Hill’s business textbook division; summer policeman during the Chappaquiddick incident; and bank officer for Edgartown National Bank. He finally found his passion as a financial advisor for IDS/Ameriprise, helping young people prepare financially for the future. He was known for his kindness, honesty, generosity and promptness.

Bob met the love of his life, Judith Hoglund of Edgartown, in 1964. After their marriage and the birth of their son Erik and daughters Nancy and Suzanne, they moved from Wayland to Martha’s Vineyard where they lived for 41 years.

They enjoyed the best of Island life. Bob loved vegetable and flower gardening, especially growing pumpkins engraved with names for each grandchild. The family enjoyed beautiful, less populated, peaceful beaches; clamming; oystering; and lots of family excursions on his catboat, the Cat’s Meow.

In the winter Bob enjoyed Florida and working on making fine, wool, Oriental rugs. He was never idle and spent hours planning trips and cruises around the world, including finding and planning a reunion with Judy’s family in Sweden.

When Bob retired, they moved to New London, N.H., a small college and seasonal resort town with beautiful lakes and mountains. They enjoyed a wonderful new life. New London offered everything for seniors and its outdoor activities were available to everyone. He especially enjoyed belonging to COA Outdoor Recreation for Seniors and the Country Squires mens luncheon group.

Bob is survived by Judy, his wife of 59 years; son, William Erik Bruguiere, his wife Holly and their children Will and Sydney of Edgartown; his daughter, Nancy Morris, her husband Edward and their children Charles, Hilary and Avery of Hingham; and his daughter, Suzanne Seymour, her husband Howard and their children, Anna, Merritt and Ella of Darien, Conn.

He is also survived by his sister, Jane Bruguiere Norton; his nephews Jeffrey and Andrew Norton and their families; and his Virginia nephews Tommy, Robert, Curtis, John Bruguiere and their families of Dickie Brothers Orchards, Roseland, Va.

He was predeceased by his parents, brother Tom and sister in law Emilie Bruguiere, and his brother in law Philip Jeffrey Norton Jr.

A graveside servicewill take place June 3 at 11 a.m. at Edgartown’s New West Side Cemetery. A celebration of life will follow at the Old Whaling Church. 

Memorial gifts may be made to the Lake Sunapee Region Hospice, P.O. Box 2209, New London, NH 03257; Martha’s Vineyard Museum, 151 Lagoon Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; or Sail Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1998, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.