Robert L. Bristol, Jr.

Robert L. Bristol, Jr., 85, passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025.

Born on October 13, 1940 in Morganton, North Carolina, to Robert Bristol and Alma Vickrey Bristol. Bob spent time each year in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his grandmother, aunts and cousins. Playing baseball on his uncle's Little League team, he made lifetime Kentucky friends. On one of these visits in 1954, he wandered into Marilyn Peck's yard to play. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in June.

In 1960, one of his aunts encouraged him to come to Bowling Green and enroll at Western Kentucky University. There he excelled and was instrumental in his fraternity going National with Sigma Nu. Later, he served as Chairman of the Capital Campaign to finance the Sigma Nu fraternity house.

Following graduation, he joined Genesco as an industrial engineer at the Carrollton, Georgia shoe plant. At the time of his retirement forty years later, he was Vice President of Logistics. During his time at Genesco, he served on the Tennessee Minority Purchasing Council, was active with Junior Achievement and helped judge DECA competitions. He was a long-time member of the Hendersonville Evening Sertoma, served on the Alumni board of Western Kentucky University and was elected Sumner County Commissioner.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his sister-in-law, Susan Peck Scholtz (David) of Louisville, Kentucky.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Peck Bristol; son Keith Giles Bristol of Morganton, North Carolina; daughters Leigh Ann Koch (John) of Louisville, KY and Amy Graves (Cliff); grandchildren, Amanda Koch Hamilton (Joe), Bobby Koch (Gabi), Caroline Graves Leonard (Aidan) and Channing Graves Lewis (Will); two great grandchildren, Anna and Patrick Hamilton; sister, Sharon Bristol of Owings Mills, Maryland; brother Edward Bristol (Jane) of Raleigh, North Carolina; sister-in-law Betty Bruner of Bowling Green, KY; two nieces and one nephew.

Celebration of Life to be held at Hendersonville First United Methodist Church on Friday, October 24 at 12:00 p.m., officiated by Pastor Scott Aleridge. Visitation to be held at the church on October 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Bob to First United Methodist Church, 217 E. Main St., Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075 or the College Heights Foundation, 1703 Chestnut Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101.