Robert “Bob” Sirles, 73

TILTON — Robert Penny Sirles was born March 10, 1946, to Freeman and Mamie (Jenness) Sirles in Meredith Center, where he resided for most of his life. He passed away on April 13, 2019, at the New Hampshire Veterans' Home in Tilton, where he received outstanding care and love the past several years.

Bob graduated from high school in Meredith and served his country in the United States Army from 1965 to 1968. He was dedicated in his 20 years of work for the State of New Hampshire at the Laconia State School and Prison, prior to which he enjoyed his time at the Working Man’s Friend service station in Laconia.

In 1984, as a founding member of the Meredith Center Cooperative, Bob helped spur the movement of resident-owned communities for mobile home parks, enabling blue-collar workers and retirees to have property ownership rights and benefits. What Bob and others helped achieve, with the assistance of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, in a small corner of New Hampshire, has now spread nationwide and benefitted more than 1,000 communities.

Bob was known as a friendly, outgoing, good-natured man who liked to have fun. If he wasn’t giving someone a “hard time” or causing trouble, he was plotting his next antics. As a result, later in life, he donned the nickname “Trouble,” for which he happily filled the role.

He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia A. Sirles; mother Mamie; father Freeman; two brothers, Chester Sirles Sr. and Raymond Sirles; and two sisters, Geraldine Blake and Linda Boivin.

He is survived by sons Jason Sirles of Salisbury and Jeffrey and Tracey Sirles of Ashland; his sister, Warneta Russell of Laconia; as well as countless other family members and friends.

Bob will be laid to rest with a brief graveside remembrance on Friday, April 26, at 2:30 p.m. in the New Hampshire Veterans' Cemetery in Boscawen.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you spend time with your friends and family, enjoying life as Bob would have liked to remember you.