Obituaries

Arthur Robert Cranbury (Bob) was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Edith Isabel Pace and David Prince St. Albert Cranbury on June 6, 1923. Growing up in Toronto, Bob had many fond memories of his youth that included a passion for exploring the city he loved on his bicycle and precious time spent with his father building hobby boats that they sailed together whenever time allowed. During his early childhood, he also met the future love of his life, Shirley, who grew up on the same street he did. Following his graduation from Standard College of Engineering in Toronto, Bob served in the Royal Canadian Navy during WWII. He married his wife, Shirley, while on leave in 1945, and in 1953 they moved to Royal Oak, MI, so Bob could begin a new career at General Motors (GM) as their first-ever left-handed illustrator in the patent office using all right-hand equipment. He enjoyed 37 years illustrating at GM, even postponing his retirement to pioneer the implementation of computer-aided design (CAD), which replaced the laborious hand-drawn illustration process.

In his retirement years, Bob thoroughly enjoyed exploring the world with his beloved wife, delighted in spending time with family watching his cherished granddaughters grow up, and continued his love of patent illustrating in Lines and Letters, a business that he and Shirley ran until 2011, when he was 88. Although retiring from deadlines and long hours at the computer, he never retired from being a student of life as he continued to marvel about the wonders of the world, the engineering feats of mankind and, as always, a compassionate, kind-hearted man who was interested in everyone.

Bob will be deeply missed by his childhood sweetheart and beloved wife of 73 years, Shirley; daughter, Kathy Forzley (Murray); granddaughters Lisa Forzley, Kristen Shivnen (Shawn), and Katie Spawr (Alex) and great grandson Ryker Shivnen.

Family will receive friends Sunday, February 17, 2019 from 1-5pm at A.J. Desmond & Sons (Vasu, Rodgers & Connell Chapel), 32515 Woodward (btwn 13-14 Mile), 248-549-0500.

Funeral service Monday, February 18, 2019, 11am at First Presbyterian Church, 529 Hendrie Blvd, Royal Oak, MI 48067. Visitation at church begins 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorial tributes to the church -or- Rainbow Connection.

~Lovingly submitted by Family~