Obituary of Robert Richard Sherwood

Robert Richard Sherwood Olean, NY Robert Richard Sherwood (Bob) passed away on September 26, 2026, at Olean General Hospital after a brief illness. He was born on June 4, 1944, to Lyle and June (Huber) Sherwood in Olean, NY. Robert leaves behind Corliss (Stark) Sherwood, his wife of 60 years. Six decades of marriage brought them a lifetime of love, family, laughter, challenges, adventures, and memories. Their life together was not always about the big moments—it was built in the thousands of little moments that make a family, and those memories will remain forever.He leaves behind his children, Daniel (Lisa) Sherwood, Christina Muniz, Ron (Lisa) Stark, Sean (Hannah) Maurer, and Jill (Kevin) Nolder, who will each carry a piece of their dad with them for the rest of their lives.Robert was a proud grandfather to Shaye Sherwood, Shane Sherwood, Brett Sherwood, Mitchell Nolder, Halle Nolder, Derek Nolder, Dusten Nolder, Natalie Maurer, Mindy Maurer, Isabella Muniz, Marco Muniz, Max Muniz, and Myles Muniz, and a cherished great-grandfather to Calvin Nolder and Freya Nolder. Robert was a machinist by trade, a talented craftsman who spent much of his life working with his hands and creating things that lasted. His last business was Portville Machine Company, where his work became part of his identity and where friendships were made along the way. He looked forward to his Wednesday Pizzaland days with his shop and longtime buddies. They knew that Wednesday wasn’t complete without coming to spend time with Bob and sharing some “bean time.” Those who knew him will remember not only the stories but also the laughter, conversations, and simple traditions that made those days special. Some of the greatest memories, however, were made with his family.Weekends meant camping and boating at Onoville on Kinzua Reservoir, where the family spent countless days together making memories that would become stories told over and over again. And nobody who experienced those mornings will ever forget Bob’s famous 6:00 a.m. rooster yell, which had a way of waking up the entire camper, whether anyone wanted to get up or not. Weekend family gatherings at Roberts’ parents’ house brought his siblings and all their families together for volleyball, croquet, horseshoes, penny poker, good laughs, and maybe a little competition. He was also the unforgettable face of “Smokin’ Bob’s Burnout,” a part of the annual Street Masters Car Show at Gargoyle Park. Cars and burnouts were more than just a hobby—they were part of the fun he shared with his family. One of the first “important” lessons Robert taught his children when they learned to drive was how to do a proper burnout. To Bob, that was just one of those things a parent needed to teach their kids. Robert also loved riding ATVs into the stone quarry with his children and grandchildren. There was always another place to explore, another adventure to have, and another memory waiting to be made. But of everything Robert did in his life, nothing compared to being a Papa. His grandchildren were his greatest joy. He loved them fiercely, proudly, and in his own unmistakable way. He teased them, taught them, laughed with them, made memories with them, and gave each of them something that was uniquely his. Robert didn’t simply have grandchildren . He had a piece of his heart in every one of them. Each grandchild has their own story about Papa. Their own memory. Their own lesson. Their own laugh. Their own moment when he made them feel loved.And that is the beautiful thing about the life Robert leaves behind—he did not leave the same mark on everyone. He left a different piece of himself with each person he loved. They will remember his sense of humor. They will remember his stories and his lessons. And someday, when they tell those stories to their own children, Robert will still be there. Because the people we love never truly leave us. They live in the stories we tell. They live in the traditions we continue. Robert’s greatest gift was not something he could build in his machine shop. It was the family he built. A family that will carry his name, his stories, his humor, his stubbornness, his strength, and, most importantly, his love for life and an unfathomable will to live. “Love ya, Honey.” At Robert’s request, no services will be held at this time. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Until then, his family will carry him with them—in every story, every laugh, every adventure, every family gathering, and every memory.