Robert Alan Powers

Robert Alan Powers - affectionately known to many as “Ol Rob” - passed away on February 25, 2026 in Matthews, North Carolina, leaving behind an indelible mark on the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him. Born March 12, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan, to Carmon and Mary Jane, Robert was a true renaissance man—a vibrant spirit whose love for life was felt deeply in every note he sang, every ball he hit, every friendship he cherished.

Growing up as the youngest of four children and the only boy amongst his siblings, (Bernita, Mary Ellen, Jane) Robert’s early days in Detroit were filled with youthful adventures alongside his best friends, the two Petes, with whom he shared countless mischievous shenanigans. His affection for the games of baseball and hockey were nurtured on the streets and in the fields of his Detroit neighborhood. These passions followed him throughout his life, along with his talents in tennis, racquetball, and running. It was some of these pursuits that fueled his boundless energy and relentless drive, traits that earned him the well-deserved moniker of  “Work Hard, Play Hard Rob” -   A reputation not necessarily reserved for those who knew him best.

Robert’s professional life was intertwined with his love for sports and community. Serving as General Manager of Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe, North Carolina, and later at Carolina Golf and Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, Robert made a lasting impact on the golfing communities he stewarded before his retirement in 2010. 

Even as he managed prestigious clubs he remained a player at heart—a golfer, a baseball and hockey enthusiast, and a committed member of the YMCA in uptown Charlotte - as well as at the International Athletic Club in Denver, Colorado before his southern relocation in 1982.

But Robert’s passions extended far beyond athletics. A man of varied tastes he reveled in the romance of music and theater. Whether it was jazz riffs, live theater, the drama of opera, or simply listening to classical favorites while reading the Sunday paper, Robert’s soul was stirred by art in its many forms. His involvement in musical theater, spirited participation in Christmas choirs, and even his stint in the rock band known as The Golden Overdrive, revealed a man who embraced creativity with open arms. His voice, a treasured gift, carried on to the very end, enchanting those around him with beauty and inspiration despite his humble assertion, “I’ve really lost my voice, I can’t sing at all anymore.”

Robert’s love was vast and warm. Married four times, he was a caring father, if a not somewhat eccentric figure.  To his two loving daughters, Debra and Pamela, he was a cherished man, the hard-nosed, exacting task master coupled with a real sweetheart, the self -proclaimed ‘El Patron’. 

Robert’s family flourished around him, extending to his grandchildren: Rochelle Renee, Nathan Scott, Nicole Marie and Hannah Blue and adding to the colorful bouquet with the presence of four ebullient great-grandchildren:  Logan, Lincoln, Callum, and Emma Catherine.

He had a genuine affection for women— one who appreciated the ‘gentler sex’ for their beauty, common decency, strength, and difference. A lover of life, disarming at times, a man who never shied away from wholeheartedly engaging with every person he met, Robert was – all at once – a man’s man and a charismatic chick magnet.

(Don’t worry about that last comment, he would tell you it was not only funny, but true.)

Though Robert traveled to the Caribbean and Canada only a few short times, and was limited by the demands of his busy life, his spirit was never confined.   A lover of adventure and new experiences, he always dreamed of journeying to further distant lands he sadly did not reach in his later years. 

Now freed from earthly bounds, one imagines him embracing all those dreams— once again putting his toes in the sand while working a crossword puzzle and drinking in the surf, perhaps golfing celestial fairways, savoring a fine Scotch, puffing a cigar, belting out favorite tunes with the carefree joy that defined him. 

He had a plethora of friends here on earth and undoubtedly reunited with countless others who patiently waited for him on the other side, where a joyous celebration is surely already underway.

A golfer, sports enthusiast, game player of many genres, Robert Alan Powers was a man who lived deeply, loved fiercely, and shared his gifts generously with the world. 

Go in peace, our Daddy-O! 

Fly free like the many birds you adored, where music never fades and the laughter never ends.

Your presence will be forever missed but greatly remembered.

✌🏽❤️😌