Robert Hartmann Giles

Robert “Bob” Hartmann Giles, 90, of Traverse City, passed away Monday, August 7, 2023, at Munson Hospice House. Bob was born on June 6, 1933, in Cleveland, Ohio to the late Robert Hamilton and Grace (Hartmann) Giles. He attended DePauw University, where he played on the baseball team and became editor and chief of the school newspaper. After graduation he earned his master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University. From 1956-1958 he proudly served our Country in the United States Army as a public affairs specialist and was stationed in Ft. Monroe, VA. Following his time in the service he joined the Akron Beacon Journal as a reporter in 1958. He married Nancy May Morgan on February 6, 1960, in Cleveland. Together as a team they lovingly raised 3 wonderful children, Dave, Megan and Rob. Bob went on to share his love of journalism in various forms for the rest of his life, including as a Pulitzer Prize winning editor and publisher at newspapers in Akron, Rochester, New York, and Detroit. He also was the curator of the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. He proudly wrote two books: “When Truth Mattered” published on the 50th anniversary of the May 4, 1970 killing of four students at Kent State University and “Newsroom Management” published in the 1986. He was a sports fanatic especially when it came to the Cleveland Browns and the Kansas Jayhawks. He and Nancy officially moved to Traverse City in 2013. He was on the board of several local organizations, including the editorial board of the Traverse City Record Eagle, the International Affairs Forum, the National Writers Series and the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. By far his greatest love and happiness came from his wife Nancy, who died in 2021, and his family. Bob also enjoyed many strong friendships, some life-long and others recently made. Fondly, he will be remembered as a soft-spoken yet powerful speaker, with a great chuckle when he laughed. Bob is survived by his children, David (Ellen Katz), Megan (Jay Cooney) and Rob (Kelly Giles); four grandchildren, two step-grandsons, his sister Lois Eynon and many other loving family members. A Memorial Service will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers and to support journalism education, the family suggests that donations be made to KU Endowment in support of the Giles Family Scholarship Fund. Please send donations to: KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044 or give online at www.kuendowment.org/givenow. Kindly share thoughts and memories with his family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

Robert Hartmann Giles

June 6, 1933 - August 7, 2023