Obituary of Dr. Robert D. Trowbridge

Dr. Robert D. Trowbridge, DVM, age 97, died on Saturday, March 2, 2024. His funeral will be Saturday, March 9th, at the Adams Village Baptist Church, Adams, with Rev. Bud Masters officiating. Burial will be at a later date in the Union Cemetery, Adams Center. Calling hours will be 1:00pm to 3:00pm and the funeral will be at 3:00pm. Arrangements are with the Piddock Funeral Home Inc, Adams, NY. Dr. Trowbridge is survived by his son Bruce (Adele) Trowbridge, Pierrepont Manor, NY, his daughter-in-law Maureen Trowbridge, Lansing, NY, four grand-children: Linette (John) Cilbrith, Utica, NY, Robert Trowbridge, Whitney Point, NY, Colleen (James) Dowd, Martinsville, NJ, Erin (Drew) Fosque, Jamaica Plain, MA, a grandson-in-law: Joseph Shekiro (Arvada, CO) and nine great-grandchildren: Kayleigh (Beavercreek, OH), Heidi & Reid (Utica), Troy, Kody, & Lexy (Whitney Point), Connor & Denny (Martinsville), and Jackson (Arvada) He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. His wife, Justine, his two brothers, Dr. John and William Trowbridge, his son Craig, and his grand-daughter Kelly Shekiro pre-deceased him. Doc Trowbridge, as he was known to many, was born March 17, 1926 in Adams Center, son of Dr. Wesley and Mary Ellen Denny Trowbridge. His mother died when Bob was three months old and he and his brothers were raised by his grandmother Louise Webster Trowbridge and later, after his father remarried, by his step-mother Nellie Smith Trowbridge. A graduate of Adams Center High School in 1943, he attended Cornell University. After one semester, he entered the US Marine Corps in 1944 and served in the South Pacific and mainland China with the 6th Marine Division as a radar operator. His granddaughters, Erin & Colleen, remember many a night after dinner spent listening to his adventures and learning about friends during his time in the Marines. Erin got a chance to meet him, Craig, and Bruce in Virginia at the Marine Corps Museum, where he pointed out his duty stations and told many stories of his time abroad. After his discharge in 1946 he entered the New York State Veterinary College at Cornell University. As a member of Omega Tau Sigma, the veterinarian fraternity, Bob made many lifetime friends. Following his graduation in 1952, he interned for a year at the school’s small animal veterinary hospital. In 1953 he returned to Adams Center where he joined his father Dr. W.W. Trowbridge (Cornell 1915) in mixed practice. He retired in 2015 after sixty-two years of service to the community. Bob was one of four surviving members of the Cornell Veterinary School Class of 1952. On September 12, 1950 he married Justine Abernathy at the First Presbyterian Church of Carthage. The couple lived in Ithaca later moving to and spending the rest of their married lives in Adams Center. Justine died on January 28, 2017. They loved trips to see family, the bowling alley, the golf courses, and raising their two children together. In 1956 Dr. Trowbridge was elected to the Board of Education of Adams Center Central School, later the Adams Center-Adams Central School, then the South Jefferson Central School. He served on the Board of Education until 1977, and was President for the last five years. He was involved in the formation of the South Jefferson Central School district and the building of the General Bruce C. Clarke High School. Dr. Trowbridge joined the South Jefferson Lions Club in 1965 and was a member until his death. He held several positions, including President, and received several awards, including the Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award and the Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Dedicated Humanitarian Services. He was also a member of the Adams Village Baptist Church, the US Marine Corps League, the Central NY Veterinary Association, the NY State Veterinary Association, and the American Veterinary Association. He was a former member of the Cosmopolitan Club, Tomacy’s Golf Club, and the Adams Country Club. An avid golfer, he and his wife Justine could usually be found on the golf course with a wide group of friends. Many golf trips were taken with this group throughout NY and PA. For many years, Bob and Teen traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC, in March for the month because, as one son remarked, “They couldn’t wait for the courses to open up here.” We hope that Bob and Teen are already on the back nine and ready for sandwiches at the clubhouse. We want to thank all his caregivers for the time they spent with Dad and the care that they gave him during his last few months. We also want to thank Hospice of Jefferson County for their assistance during this difficult time. Donations in his memory are requested to the South Jefferson Rescue Squad, PO Box 126, Adams NY 13605, or the Adams Village Baptist Church, PO Box 94, Adams NY 13605. Condolences and memories may be posted at www.piddockfuneralhome.com