Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

March 7, 2025

CHARLOTTE – Robert Andrew Mayer, II passed away surrounded by family and a few close friends on Friday afternoon, March 7, 2025.  He was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 3, 1932, to the late Dr. Walter Brem and Helen Dainis Mayer.  

He was educated at Woodberry Forest School and Duke University.  Most of his career was spent at The Duke Endowment as Director of Childcare Division.  In this capacity, he improved the lives of countless children and contributed to the development of innovative and effective programs for providing services to children and families.

As much as his schooling and life’s work defined Bob, there were many other interests that stayed with him his entire life. First and foremost, Bob loved golf.  He played frequently and skillfully and had an extremely competitive nature.  He played most often at Carmel Country Club, coordinating and organizing multiple days of play each week among a regular group of members.  He also considered himself most fortunate to be one of the early members of Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Nebraska.  Each year, for nearly 30 years, he invited multiple groups of friends and golfing acquaintances to join him there to play.  The trips were legendary, generating numerous noteworthy tales that were recounted many times with delight.  He also won the Sand Hills member-member tournament three times, with two different partners, an accomplishment of which he was particularly proud.  Over the years, Bob grew to care deeply about the staff at the club and the Mullen community.  He followed high school sports, attended county fairs, and made donations to benefit local schools.

Bob had a deep love for dogs, having many throughout his life, always seeming to love each one more than the last.  He also enjoyed visiting with the dogs of family members and walking neighbors’ dogs from time to time.  Another animal he had a particular affection for was the bluebird.  He put up numerous bluebird houses around Carmel Country Club’s golf course and checked them routinely when he played golf.  Frequently one would find live mealworms in his garage refrigerator and area bluebirds knew when feeding time was.  For a time, Bob was a licensed pilot and co-owned a small airplane.  Even after his flying days ended, he continued to use FlightAware to track planes flying over his house.  He loved watching the heavens, as did his mother before him.  Routinely he sent texts instructing the recipient to go look at planetary and moon alignments in the night sky.  He loved to read and always had a book going or a recommendation to share.

Most of all, Bob loved his friends and family.  Time and again, people echoed the sentiment voiced recently by one of his friends: “Under the porcupine exterior…he had the softest heart.” He paid attention to those important to him, genuinely wanting to know what was going on in their lives.  He asked thoughtful questions and was fiercely loyal.  He was a constant presence in our lives that we will sorely miss.

Bob is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Nancy Coley Mayer; children, Olivia Anderson Mayer of Raleigh, NC, and Robert Andrew Mayer III and wife, Victoria Raby Mayer of Charlotte, NC; four granddaughters, Leslie Cameron Mayer, Marion Dainis Price, Dana Mayer Fox and husband, Christopher Alan Fox, and Louise Anderson Price;  three great-granddaughters, Vivienne King Fox, Emilia Mayer Fox and Charlotte Lee Fox; and brothers, Dr. Walter Brem Mayer, Jr. and Michael Dainis Mayer.

A committal service for Bob will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Elmwood Cemetery with a reception to follow at Carmel Country Club.  In memory of Bob, those attending the service are encouraged to wear pink if they so desire.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Bob to Holy Angels in Belmont, NC; Hooker County Community Foundation, Sand Hills Golf Club Scholarship Fund, PO Box 112, Mullen, NE 69152; or the animal rescue organization of one’s choice.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606.  Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.