Robert “Bob” Carmen Liuzzi, 79, of Amelia island, Florida passed away in his sleep on Sunday, January 21, 2024 at his home.
Bob was born on July 16, 1944, in Quincy, Massachusetts to the late Rocco Liuzzi and Margaret Peletsky. He grew up on Quincy and graduated from Boston College High School in 1962. He attended the college of the Holy Cross in Worchester, Massachusetts, graduating with a degree in Classics. He then entered the University of Virginia School of Law, the first in his family to attend graduate school. While there, he met his future wife Joan at a party. After much Convincing, she eventually agreed to marry him and they wed in 1969.
After graduating later that year, Bob and Joan moved to New York City. After earning admission to the State Bars of both New York and California, he practiced law on Wall Street while simultaneously serving his country in the United States Army Reserve. That connection to California soon led Bob and Joan to move across the country to San Diego, where he went to work at U. S. Financial. It wasn’t long before a career opportunity would lead the young and growing family to the Chicago area, where in 1975 Bob joined CF Industries, Inc., a global chemical manufacturer. It was at CF where Bob would spend the rest of his career, serving in a broad range of positions and traveling the world before ultimately being made Chief Executive Officer in 1986, a role he would hold for 18 years until retirement. Among his many achievements was setting the stage for the transformation of CF into the publicly traded firm it is now. In 2003, he retired, first to Maryland’s Eastern Shore and then later to Amelia Island.
Outside of his work and his family, Bob pursued his many passions. He was an avid outdoorsman, whether sailing in New England, duck hunting in Mississippi, turkey shooting and alligator hunting in Florida, or his favorite summer pursuit, fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon in the rivers of Northeast Canada. Outside of his home, he was never more comfortable than in a hunting or fishing lodge, sharing a cocktail, meal and stories with his colleagues, friends, and family. He was voracious reader, as anyone who braved the stacks of books to find him in his study could attest. He had a keen interest in food and wine and would dive head-first into whatever cuisine – Chinese being a particular favorite – or grape varietal interested him, whether in the United States, Canada, or Further afield in France or Italy, two of Bob and Joan’s favorite travel spots.
In addition to his leisure activities, Bob was a devout Catholic his entire life, most recently as a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Fernandina Beach, Florida. He strongly believed in the educational mission of the Church and never stopped studying its teachings and the works of its prominent thinkers. Bob prized education as the means to use God-given gifts to not only build a fulfilling life and career, but also for the betterment of Society. He was an ardent supporter of a multitude of educational institutions as well as a mentor to students in them, being especially proud of an endowed scholarship he established at his high school alma mater which aids disadvantaged students.
Bob is survived by his wife of 54 years, Joan Clearman Liuzzi, of Amelia Island, Florida; his brother James of Corona, California; and his three sons: John of Arlington, Virginia; Matthew (Sarah) and their four children, Read, Elisabeth, Peter and Eloise, of Houston, Texas; and Andrew (Kristen), and their three children, Sophia, Jack, and Benjamin of Winnetka, Illinois.
Funeral services will be held at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Fernandina Beach, Florida on Friday, February 2, 2024, at 11:00 am. Bob will be laid to rest later that day in a private ceremony.
Rather than flowers, donations can be made to the Women’s Help Center of Jacksonville.