On December 27, 2025, the world became a little quieter and perhaps a bit less colorful as Robert L. “Bob” Kunkemoeller, 81, slipped away peacefully in his beloved hometown of Cincinnati.
Born on May 13, 1944, to Albert and Alberta Kunkemoeller, Bob entered the world with a heart built for family and an eye for the beauty hidden in the everyday. Though he was preceded in death by his parents and his twin brothers, Paul and Richard, Bob carried their memory forward through a life defined by warmth, wit, and a brushstroke of whimsy.
A graduate of St. John’s Elementary, Purcell High, and the University of Cincinnati School of Art, Bob’s true masterpiece began in 1971 when he married his soulmate, Kathleen “Kathy” Poole. For over five decades, they were two halves of a whole, building a life that was both a partnership and an ongoing conversation. Whether they were running Professional Carpet Care or curating joy and beautiful art at Gallery 22 at Harpers Point, they didn’t just frame art; they framed a legacy of shared passions.
Their days were filled with the simple magic of Montgomery Swim Club summers, the scent of campfire in state parks, and the rhythmic cheers of their children’s sports competitions. Together, they chased sunsets from the Outer Banks to Sarasota to the shores of Hawaii, eventually finding their “place of the heart” in the golden light of Capri, Italy. After twenty vibrant years under the Key West sun, they finally returned home to the familiar hills of Cincinnati to enjoy family and rekindle old friendships in Anderson Township.
Bob was a man who taught his children how to love not by lecture, but by example. He showed them that the greatest art one can create is a life of kindness. A lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan, Bob’s loyalty was legendary—from the shivering triumph of the 1982 Freezer Bowl to the bright lights of Super Bowl XVI. He knew that in football, as in life, you weather the heartbreak for the sake of the triumph.
There is a tender sadness in the silence he leaves behind for his devoted children: Steve (Susan), Dan (Jennifer), and Angela Kaiser Kunkemoeller (Mike). Neighbors will miss the friendly face walking his dogs, always ready with a smile and a story for anyone who crossed his path.
This spring, as the flowers begin to bloom in Cincinnati, we will gather for a joint Celebration of Life for Bob and Kathy—reunited once again, as they were always meant to be. Bob leaves us with a gallery of memories, a legacy of laughter, and a profound example of what it means to love steadfastly until the very end.