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Robert Emmett Holcomb, 82, lifelong Hamilton resident passed away Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton.
He was born March 2, 1936 in Syracuse, NY, a son of Phillip L. and Arlene McCabe Holcomb. Moving to Hamilton at an early age, he received his education in local schools and was a graduate of Hamilton High School in 1954. He joined the U.S. Navy in January 1955 where he served as a Hospital Corpsman during the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged in 1959. On July 23, 1960, Robert was united in marriage to Patricia M. Browning in St. Mary’s Church, Hamilton.
Bob served as the Police Chief of the Village of Hamilton from 1967 until 1979. He then became the Director of Security and Fire Safety at Colgate University for over 12 years until retiring in 1991. He had also been a school bus driver for the Hamilton Central School district for many years. Following his retirement, he worked for the Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Homes.
Bob was a 57-year member and a past Chief of the Hamilton Fire Department. He was a former member and past president of the Hamilton Rotary Club; a former member of the Chenango Valley Stamp Club, the Hamilton Booster’s and the National Rifle Association. He enjoyed deer and turkey hunting, as well as fishing. Bob was a dedicated family man whose children and grandchildren were the light of his life.
Surviving are his wife, Patricia; three sons and daughters-in-law, Robert A. and Lynn Holcomb; David N. and Jody Holcomb; Richard C. and Karen Holcomb, all of Hamilton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Deborah A. and John Miles of Fairport; Karen S. and Jason Murray of Hamilton; a sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Alvin Poissant of Dover, NH; a brother and sister-in-law, James R. and Alma Holcomb of Inverness, FL; eight grandchildren, Blaine Andrew Holcomb, Rachael Claire Holcomb, Meghan Elizabeth Holcomb, Ethan Ryan Holcomb, Bradley McCabe Holcomb, Daniel Scott Murray, Abigail Therse Holcomb and Maddison Kennedy Miles; a half-brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Jeannine Holcomb of Sauk Village, IL; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, step-mother, mother and father-in-law, a sister, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, a granddaughter and a half-brother.
Funeral services will be held at 1PM Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the Cornerstone Baptist Church, 2369 Lake Moraine Rd., Hamilton, followed by interment with military honors in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Hamilton.
Friends are invited to call at the church on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Fountain Fire Co. #1, 121 Lebanon St., Hamilton, NY, 13346; S.O.M.A.C., 86 Lebanon St., Hamilton, NY; or to Hospice & Palliative Care, 4277 Middle Settlement Rd., New Hartford, NY 13413.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burgess & Tedesco Funeral Home, 25 Broad St., Hamilton.

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