Robert G. Knott Jr.

FALMOUTH/YARMOUTH – Robert “Bob” Knott of Falmouth and Yarmouth, 85, died peacefully on Aug. 8, 2025, after a long illness.

Born on Sept. 30, 1939, in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, N.Y. to Dorothy Aylesworth and Robert Gibson Knott, Bob grew up in New York City and Bronxville, N.Y. with his father and stepmother, Miriam Dowling. He spent time with his grandparents on Long Island where he enjoyed riding horses with his grandfather, despite discovering he was prone to hay fever. While there, he also learned to row, a skill that would come in handy later.

He attended St. Bernard’s School in New York before attending St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. At St. Paul’s he enjoyed singing in the chapel choir during daily services. He followed this with two of the most meaningful experiences of his life. He attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where he thrived, enjoying his membership in Alpha Delta Phi. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in history before attending OCS and joining the U.S. Navy as an Operations Officer aboard the U.S.S. Ranger. His time in the service helped shape his character and moral outlook and he fondly remembered the time spent in his home port of Alameda, Calif., on the South China Sea, and in Japan, where he developed a lifelong love of the cuisine.

He joined the Bank of New York in 1966, beginning in trusts and estates and eventually, managing the BNY Hamilton Equity Income Fund, retiring as a vice president in 2003. Perhaps his most difficult day was Sept. 11, 2001, when he was caught amid the chaos and debris caused by the collapse of the twin towers and had to walk from the Financial District to safety in midtown Manhattan.

He married Maine native, Caroline Small Campbell, in 1972 and had two sons, Gibson and Colin. Bob busied himself with many civic and volunteer activities throughout his life. He served as the President of the Board of the Children’s Health Service in New York, N.Y., before its merger with Leake Watts. After moving to Chatham, N.J., in 1983, Bob served on the finance committee of the Chatham Township Presbyterian Church, as Cubmaster for Pack 24, treasurer of the Chatham Athletic Association, and as treasurer and longtime council member of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey.

Bob and Caroline began summering on Littlejohn Island in Yarmouth in 1976, moving to Maine full-time after his retirement. Bob loved his summers in Maine, captaining his boat, Giblin, and enjoying overnights on the islands of Casco Bay with Caroline, the boys, and his beloved chocolate Labrador, Nestle.

A lifelong movie and music enthusiast, Bob particularly loved the films of Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, William Holden, Audrey Hepburn, and fellow Kenyon graduate, Paul Newman, and he rewatched many of his favorites during his final illness. His tastes in music developed early and favorites included great pop and jazz vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bing Crosby, film scores, a variety of popular genres from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, the music of Stephen Sondheim and Burt Bacharach, and the church and organ music he learned at St. Paul’s. He spent many happy hours scouring used record stores with his son to uncover hidden treasures that he would rush home to play. He often said that, no matter where he was, he always heard music in his head.

Bob loved food and eating well, particularly when the meals were prepared just as he liked them! Throughout his life, he did much of the cooking for the family and took complete charge of it during his retirement, preparing special menus for birthdays and holidays.

Bob’s dark sense of humor and devotion to his family will be much missed.

He is survived by his wife, Caroline; sons Gibson and Colin, sister, Agnes Knott and her husband, Kenneth Schnaper; and dear cousin, Marjorie Gerli.

The family would like to thank Northern Light Hospice and caregivers Cheryl, Darren, and Bruce for their support through Bob’s final months.

A gathering in Bob’s memory is being planned for the fall.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Bob’s honor to the Friends of Casco Bay at http://cascobay.org or

to the ASPCA at aspca.org.