Robert Batchelder, a longtime resident of Orleans, died Friday, Aug. 23, 2013 in Epoch Assisted Living in Brewster, MA, twelve days after celebrating his 90th birthday. He was the loving husband for sixty years of the late Betty (Sawyer) Batchelder, the father of Wendy Knight, of Del Rio, Tennessee, and of Stephen Batchelder of Abington, MA, and the brother of Earle Batchelder of East Dennis. Born in Dorchester, the son of the late Chester and Olive Batchelder, he was raised in Braintree, MA. Following his graduation from Braintree High School in 1941, he worked for the Employers Group of Insurance Companies, in Boston, as office boy for the president of the company. During that period he met his future wife, Betty, but was drafted and sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training. He was then appointed to the Army Specialized Training Program at Syracuse University, to learn to be an engineer. When the war escalated, he and his fellow cadets were sent to Europe, and he was assigned to the 69th Infantry Division, to be in administrative charge of personnel records as the 69th fought its way through Europe, eventually meeting the Russians at the Elbe. When the war in Europe ended, he returned to the States in 1945, and he and Betty married. He rejoined the Employers Group for future training, eventually to become a branch and regional manager, first and for many years in Springfield, MA then Detroit, Michigan, followed by New York City, and ultimately back to Massachusetts, in Woburn and Braintree. He retired to Cape Cod after 40 years with the company. After retirement, however, he joined Bay Village Realty, in Orleans. The purchase and sale of real estate was always one of his strong interests; in addition to homes he built or bought in Stoneham, Wilbraham, Bloomfield Hills (Michigan), Summit (New Jersey), and Andover, MA., he bought and sold properties in Brewster, Orleans, Dennis Port, and eventually in Arizona, where he and his wife bought a winter home in Surprise, Arizona. Throughout his life, Bob (Batch to most of his friends) and Betty loved to travel; to Florida, Hawaii, and much of the United States, Bermuda and the Caribbean, and England, France and Switzerland. He also enjoyed singing, and started two barbershop quartets. He and Betty participated in bowling and golf but their most constant enjoyment came from socializing with their many friends made throughout their lives. In addition to his daughter, son and brother he is survived by a sister-in-law, Ann Newcombe of Harwich; sister-in-law Nancy (Ober) Batchelder; son-in-law, Rick Knight; nine nephews and nieces and their children. His funeral will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2013 at 1 p.m. in the Nickerson Funeral Home, 77 Eldredge Park Way, Orleans, MA 02653. His burial will be held later in Swan Lake Annex Cemetery, Dennis Port, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, 411 Main Street (Rte 6A), Suite 6 Yarmouth Port, MA 02675. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com




Published in The Patriot Ledger on August 26, 2013 .