Robert “Bob” Vincenzo
Robert “Bob” Vincenzo, 92, of St. Clairsville died Friday, April 25, 2025 at Trinity Hospital in Steubenville, Ohio. Bob loved God, his Catholic church, his family and his city.
He was born on May 25, 1932 in Holloway, Ohio, the third of five children born to Florian and Ida (Agosti) Vincenzo. At the time, Holloway was a thriving hub for the B & O railroad and he had fond memories of his childhood there. Following his high school graduation in 1950, Bob joined the U.S. Army, and spent 1952-1954 in Germany.
He married JoAnn Timko in 1956. They were married for 30 years and had three children, Barb, Bob, and Don. She passed away in 1986. He married Lorrinda Saxby in 1994. He always said he was the luckiest man in the world to be loved by two wonderful women.
Bob spent his professional career working for his family’s construction company, F. H. Vincenzo and Sons, founded by his father in 1918. They built banks, churches and other commercial buildings as well as houses. Bob often said, “My father was known for his honesty. Many projects were built with a handshake.”
Bob’s second career was in politics. The need for a stoplight took him to city council in 1978. From there he became council president and then mayor of St. Clairsville for 24 years, from 1992 through his retirement in 2016. He served on the Governor’s Commission for Dispute Resolution, which gave him great insight in handling complaints. In addition to presiding over Mayor’s Court, he oversaw millions of dollars in grants for the city that paid for street improvements, such as the addition of curbs and sidewalks, as well as upgrades to the water, sewage and electrical infrastructure. The city constructed a community garden space and Bike Trail. He negotiated purchase of land that allowed the schools to build a new football stadium, and secured funding for an amphitheater and children’s playground. St. Clairsville received national and international recognition from America in Bloom. To recognize his service to the city, the community named a park bench in his honor, located in front of the Municipal Building. In honor of his birthday, his wife Dr. Lorrinda Saxby donated the red clock tower, now named the Vincenzo Clock, which stands in front of the Courthouse.
Bob served as president of the Ohio Mayor’s Association and the Ohio Municipal League, chairman of BEL-O-MAR Regional Planning Council, Trustee of the Ohio Municipal Electric Association, and member of the Belmont County Community Improvement Corp. He was a board member of MRDD-Belco and the Belmont College Foundation Board. Belmont College recognized his service with a leaf on their Heritage Tree at a ceremony in 2015. Bob won many other awards, as well, including being honored at the Ohio Cancer Research annual sauté.
Proud of his Italian heritage, Bob was a member of Sons of Italy in Bellaire. His delicious spaghetti sauce was legendary, and he and Lorrinda hosted an annual spaghetti dinner for extended family (of around 80 people) for many years.
He also belonged to the American Legion, the VFW, Knights of Columbus where he served as Grand Knight, the St. Clairsville Sunrise Rotary, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, and Belmont Hills Country Club. Bob served St. Mary’s Catholic Church as a lector for many years and was a member of the finance committee.
Even more than his professionalism, honesty, kindness, and servant leadership, Bob was known for his quick wit and sense of humor, and his love of sports. His family believes he was the original inventor of “Dad Jokes.”
He bowled in a league for more than 20 years. He enjoyed golf and fishing, and attending football, basketball, and baseball games, especially if his kids, grandkids or great-grandkids were playing, and watching them on TV. He loved the St. Clairsville Red Devils, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was also an avid bird watcher, and kept many feeders in his backyard.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Michael and Florian “Junior” (Rosetta), sister Geraldine “Geri” (Victor) Szymialis, wife JoAnn Timko Vincenzo, and best friend Dr. Richard Stranges. He is survived by his wife Dr. Lorrinda Saxby-Vincenzo, sister Charlotte (John) Slavik, sister-in-law Rose Timko, daughter Barb (Dave) Ellis, sons Robert “Bob” Vincenzo and Don (Karen) Vincenzo, grandchildren Jaime (Erik) Baratie, Nicole (Lance) Jacob, Domenic (Shelby) Ellis, Joanna Vincenzo, Maria Vincenzo, Donte (Katie) Vincenzo, Adam (Michelle) Vincenzo, Sam (Gabby) Vincenzo, step-daughter Melissa (Ron) Weber, grandchildren Sarah (Bobby Jones) Weber, Jennifer Pence, Rebecca Daskalova, Justin (Ann Bradish) Randles, Robert (Andrea Tiballi) Weber and 9 great-grandchildren and 9 step-great-grandchildren, as well as dozens of nieces, nephews and close friends.
Family and Friends will be received at the Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville, Ohio, on Monday, April 28th from 4 – 8 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 4 p.m. and visitation will be held again on Tuesday from 2 – 8 p.m.
Funeral Liturgy with Mass will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Clairsville, with Father Thomas Chillog the celebrant. The burial will follow in Union Cemetery, St. Clairsville where Full Military Honors will be conducted by the Belmont County Veterans Association.
Memorial Contributions may be made in Bob’s memory to the St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
