Robert "Bob" W. McLean

McLean, Robert (Bob) W., age 80, of Torch Lake, Michigan, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, surrounded by his family. 

Surviving is his loving wife of 32 years, Susan McLean; children: Thomas (Pamela) McLean, Timothy McLean (Paul Santello), Megan McLean, Melissa (Brian) Keeley; six grandchildren: Madalyn (Nicholas) Ver Woert, Allyson McLean, Nathan Keeley, Trevor Keeley, Ruby Ervin-McLean and Iris Ervin-McLean. He is also survived by his brother, Jim McLean. Bob was predeceased by his parents, Ronald and Bernice McLean, and his brother, Vincent Mclean.

Bob was born in Detroit and was a varsity athlete at Mackenzie High School where he excelled in basketball, swimming, and golf. He graduated from Kalamazoo College (1963) and earned his M.B.A. from Harvard University in 1966. Bob’s career encompassed the worlds of finance, consulting, and insurance. He held management positions at CIGNA and Foremost Insurance, and AF Murch. Bob concluded his career at Merrill Lynch where he worked in partnership with his wife, Susan, until his retirement in 2001. He also served on the board of directors of Kalamazoo College for 17 years, Durametallic and Safari Circuits Inc.

Bob was quietly generous to an extraordinary number of charities (which one would only know by the piles of thank you letters that keep arriving at this time of year) and also to people he knew were in need. However, he will be most remembered by those who knew him for his passion for U. of M. football, golf, boating (Punta Gorda, FL & Torch Lake, MI), sailing (B.V.I.), traveling the world (especially with his wife and Punta Gorda friends), reading sci-fi novels, his love of ice cream, and his wife’s lemon meringue pie. He always had a smile on his face, a booming laugh, an innate goodness, a strong moral compass and was kind to everyone. Bob loved having a Manhattan in Susan’s beautiful garden on Torch Lake while watching the sunset. He lived life to the fullest and relished his time with his wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and golden retrievers.

In remembrance of Bob’s life, his family asks that any charitable donations be made to the Torch Lake Protection Alliance, PO Box 706, Bellaire, MI 49615, or to Wounded Warriors.

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