Robert W. Lord, of Vero Beach, passed away on April 21, 2016, after a brief illness due to complications from surgery.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years Carol Aertker Lord; three sons, Dustin and his wife Jen and their daughter Caroline of Wellesley, Mass., William and his wife Chelsea and their son Jameson of Maynard, Mass., and Brooks of Denver, Colo.
Always known as “one of the Lord brothers” he is survived by his brothers John and his wife Mary of Peterborough, N.H., Timothy and his wife Emma of Hancock, N.H., and Steven and his wife Ann of Peterborough, N.H., along with many nieces and nephews and a large Aertker family with whom he was very close.
Lord was born Feb. 27, 1947, in Cambridge, Mass., the son of John and Jane (Jameson) Lord.
He grew up in Weston, Mass., where he attended public schools before going to Vermont Academy from which he graduated in 1966. While at VA he was selected as a member of the All-New England football team. He later attended Franklin & Marshall College and the University of Vermont.
On March 8, 1980, he married the love of his life, Miss Carol Aertker of Alexandria, La. He met her on a blind date while co-managing a large tree farm in the area. They were inseparable thereafter.
By profession, Lord was a licensed arborist, timber manager and natural resource consultant. During his career he worked for Hartney Tree Experts, Lucas Tree Experts, Bartlett Tree Experts, Wood Structures, Inc. and Forests Forever, LLC. He also owned and operated Ashwood Basket Company, a maker of hand crafted, heirloom baskets.
He was a spiritual inspiration to his immediate and his extended family, leading them in all manner of prayers and remembrances at family gatherings including a family marriage over which he presided. He was devoted to his home church, The Calvary Chapel of Vero Beach. He was also devoted to his service work at Missionary Flights International of Fort Pierce, Women’s Refuge of Vero Beach and the American Red Cross, performing relief work in Florida, Mississippi, New Orleans, New Jersey and Haiti – often with his wife Carol. He was a lover of nature and spent many hours in the open air where he found particular joy in fly fishing and walking by the sea.
Always with a smile and a word of good cheer for his fellows, he was devoted to family and to helping others. If he was singing a little song, which he frequently was, there would be at least a minor adjustment to the lyrics – something just to add a little fun and color to the day.
Memorial services were held at Calvary Chapel in Vero Beach, on Monday April 25. Memorials may be sent to the following organizations in Rob’s memory: Mission Flights, International, Ft. Pierce; Calvary Chapel, Vero Beach; and Women’s Refuge of Vero Beach.
