Robert Alford ’57

Participating in migratory bird counts and finding homes for retired greyhound racing dogs: These interests reflect Bob Alford’s curiosity, independence, and a certain eclecticism that shaped his life.

He came to Princeton from the Choate School. At Princeton, he majored in English, sang in the Glee Club, and was a member of Tower Club. After graduation and some false starts, Bob found employment as circulation manager of a small New Jersey daily newspaper. He held that position for 20 years until the newspaper was acquired by another. He was 50 then — a difficult age, he learned, to find a new job. He worked off and on, including substitute teaching and teaching English as a second language, which he especially liked. Health problems ensued.

Most recently, Bob lived in a room in an assisted-living facility that was formerly a stately Victorian mansion. A daughter, Karen, who lived nearby, visited him almost daily. A half dozen classmates and their wives visited and helped him, including getting his battered red truck through inspection. He was married, but divorced in 1973.

Bob died Feb. 25, 2019. “My dad had a great, dark sense of humor,” said Devin, his son who came east from Hawaii to help attend to him. “He was kind and generous, a great listener, a gentleman.”