Robert C. Kline, Sr.

Robert Charles Kline, Sr. passed away on January 26, 2019 at the age of 91 years. He died peacefully while under the exceptional care of the staff at Willow Brooke Court at Cokesbury Village. He is now reunited with his wife of 59 years, Jane Peltz Kline, his daughter Ann Louise Kline, his grandson Jay Spilecki, and his parents, William C. and Lillie Jane Kline.

Bob, or Bobo, as his grandchildren called him, was born in Palmerton, PA on May 27, 1927. He grew up next door to the town’s one clay tennis court, and thus began his lifelong love of tennis and other racquet sports. He also learned to play the clarinet and tenor saxophone, and turned his talent into money by playing with local bands as a teen and young adult. He continued playing at Penn State with the famous Blue Band.

In 1947, Bob met a lovely young woman who was attending nursing school at Palmerton Hospital, and two years later, he and Jane Peltz were married. They moved to State College where Bob majored in chemistry and Jane worked at the Rittenour Health Center. In 1951, Bob graduated from Penn State and they moved to Arlington, VA so Bob could attend George Washington Law School. In 1955, Jane and Bob moved their young family to Wilmington when Bob took a position with the DuPont Company. He spent his career with DuPont, retiring in 1992 as the Chief Patent Counsel. From there he went to work with Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper, and Scinto, an international property law firm based in New York City. Bob was an active member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) for many years, and served as its president in 1986-87. He was actively involved with and served as president of the board of Blood Bank of Delaware. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was an Elder, greeter, and member of the summer choir. He also enjoyed his memberships at the DuPont Country Club and then the Wilmington Country Club, where he was a formidable opponent on the golf course and tennis and squash courts, well into his 80’s.

Bobo will be remembered for his zest for life, his love of a good joke, the family’s yearly beach vacations at the Jersey shore, his wild “Bobo” pants, the adventurous vacations he and Jane took their six oldest grandchildren on, and his unlimited generosity towards those he loved.

Bob is survived by his children Susan Spilecki (Jerry), Jeff (Kathy), Bob Jr. (Lynda), and Janet Kline; grandchildren Carrie (Jamie), Andrew, Will (Kelly), Jacy (Michael), and Jeffrey, Carley, and Colton; great grandchildren Molly, Adam, Lucy, and Connor Briggs, Neve, Talia, and Arlo Funt, Saoirse Spilecki, and Jensen (Jay) Spilecki.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Music Department, 1502 W. 13th Street, Wilmington, DE 19806, or Cokesbury Village, Employee Appreciation Fund, 726 Loveville Road, Hockessin, DE 19707.