Robert Fleming Seely (1944-2026)

Bob died peacefully on February 11, 2026, at home in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Bob grew up in New York State’s Mid-Hudson Valley. He came to Princeton from the Mount Hermon School (now Northfield Mount Hermon), in Gill, Massachusetts, where he worked on the library staff and on the literary magazine.

At Princeton, Bob studied history and assisted Professor James McPherson in researching the history of racism in Mississippi. He belonged to Cloister Inn. Roommates included Jerry Sumida, Bill Childress, and Fred Forster. He worked out with the lightweight crew freshman year, joined Whig-Clio, and was on the debate team.

After graduation, Bob served in the Army for two years, stationed in Korea.

Following discharge from the Army, Bob earned a law degree from Cornell. He focused his law practice on customs and international trade law, first serving in the United States Department of Commerce, then joining the law firm of Katten Muchin & Zavis (now Katten Muchin Rosenman) in Chicago, later moving to the New York office of Grunfeld Desiderio Lebowitz Silverman & Klestadt, before retiring as counsel in 2020.

Bob was an avid gardener and loved antiques. He and his wife, Rebeccah, restored their historic 1868 Victorian home in New Jersey, leading to its listing on the National Register of Historic Homes. He had a life-long interest in history, current affairs, astronomy, and earth sciences.

Bob is survived by Rebeccah, son Ted and his wife Jessica, grandsons Asher and Max, and many nieces and nephews.

His family asks that memorial donations be made in support of hospice care at 4 Alumni Drive, Exeter, New Hampshire.

Click here for Bob's Legacy.com obituary.

Nassau Herald

Tributes and Memories

David Beck:

Bob has indeed a true gentleman as his obit calls him.  He was soft spoken, listened well, and had a ready laugh which I can still hear.  We were close friends during our Princeton years and we were, among other activities, in and out of NYC via the NYC bus that stopped in front Nassau Hall.  In fact on one of those trips, he took me, using his mother's season tickets, to see my first opera.  I remember it well to this day.  It was Aida at the old Metropolitan Opera House and that production employed live elephants.  It was great treat and I have been an opera fan ever since.  On another occasion, we went for dinner to see his mother, who I think then lived in Newburgh, NY.  I recall that Bob liked to smoke cigars and that made club parties (he would come to Campus and I would go to Cloister) rather smoky affairs.

More recently, I recall when Jeanne and I were living in Maryland driving on a sunny spring day to Annapolis to meet Bob for lunch.  I cannot imagine the occasion, since he had been in the Army, but it had something to do with the Navy and we did walk around the Academy..... a mystery for the ages.

Bob did not come to very many reunions; only the 50th that I specifically recall.  A picture of Bob and me at that reunion is attached [See the composite photo at the top of the page].  I recall telephoning him a number of times and urging him to come back for the reunion, and happily he did.  Bob did not write bios for the reunion books, so I have only my faulty memory to fall back for those intervening years.

After graduation, as has happened to so many friends from 60 years ago, we got busy with our next lives and lost track of each other.  I consider Bob's passing a real loss of an important connection to some very happy days.

Dave Lee:

Very sorry to learn this. Bob and Bill Childress roomed next door to me and Rich Riesenfeld freshman year, and he was a good egg. He had a senior father who I believe was in his 80's as Bob entered Princeton,  and his demeanor always seemed like someone older than most of us. He must have received a good education at Mount Hermon school, because he got better grades than we did!  RIP Bob, and we will miss you at our 60th.

If you have photos or memories that you wish to share, please send them to the '66 Memorial Team (66_MemorialTeam@tiger1966.org). We will add them to this page.