Robert Early Elliott, 74, of Palm Bay, Florida, died Saturday, January 9 with his family at his side.

He was born to the late John Donald Elliott and Eleanor (Earley) Elliott on May 2, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan. Robert grew up in Detroit and Southfield, Michigan and attended school at Southfield High School. Robert felt the call to duty early and enlisted in the United States Navy on June 16, 1958 where he served his country until being honorably discharged in June of 1964. While enlisted, he finished high school and earned college credits at the United States Armed Forces Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. He married Susan Gertrude (Mueller) Elliott at Peace Lutheran Church in Southfield, Michigan on April 20, 1963. They had been married for over 52 years at the time of his passing.

Robert lived in the Detroit Metro area for several years and worked in the manufacturing field (Triangle Broach, etc.) before moving with family to Fairport, New York in the early 1980s and beginning a career in management. He moved to several areas throughout Florida in the mid-80s, becoming proficient and well-respected in pest control management and licensed in several areas in the pest control field, starting his career with Terminex. Robert also earned college credits through courses at Purdue University in Indiana related to the pest control and the management fields. Robert transferred to Westland, Michigan with Orkin in 1987 and stayed for a few years until returning to Florida permanently in 1991 (with brief stints in Virginia and Georgia), ultimately settling in Palm Bay for the last several years. Robert was semi-retired and last working as a consultant for ProYard Management Pest Control.

Robert is survived by his wife, Susan; and his children, Pamela (Elliott McCarthy) Stevens of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan and his grandson, Sean Michael Stevens; and Robert John Edmund Elliott and daughter-in-law Heather (Van Der Heyden) Elliott of Melbourne, Florida and his granddaughter, Ava Grace Elliott.

Robert's last wishes included a desire for no formal service, and all other final matters are being handled by Davis Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory in Melbourne, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made out in Robert's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Anyone wishing to send the family a message or share a story is asked to visit Robert's memorial page at www.davisseawinds.com.