The York University community mourns the loss of Bob (Robert) Accinelli, husband of the late Nancy Accinelli, Vanier College Production’s Executive Producer Emeritus.

Bob (Robert) Accinelli

Bob Accinelli died on Wednesday, July 3. Known for his humour and wisdom to the very end, he is said to have parted after telling his loved ones, “I’m ready, curtain down.”

Whether he was playing charades with his family or diligently studying Italian, Accinelli was an arts aficionado through and through. His love of music and theatre was most publicly reflected in his long-time generous support of York University’s theatre company, Vanier College Productions (VCP).

With a PhD in history from UC Berkeley, Accinelli’s interests extended far beyond the stage. He was an active contributor at the Academy for Lifelong Learning at Knox College and the University of Toronto, a respected scholar and teacher, and – for some time – president of the Canadian Association of American Studies.

As a member of a community group called Democrats & Donuts, Accinelli was known to enjoy friendly debates, particularly about U.S. politics. Loved ones will also remember Accinelli’s love of cycling, hiking, and travel – a penchant that took him from Nunavut to Turkey, California to Ireland.

Accinelli will be dearly missed by his family, friends and the York community at large.

All are welcome to gather on Thursday, July 11 at 2 p.m. to share memories and express condolences until 3 p.m., when a Celebration of Life will be held at R.S. Kane Funeral Home Chapel, 6150 Yonge Street in Toronto.

In lieu of flowers, Accinelli’s family would greatly appreciate donations in memory of Robert Accinelli for York University (Vanier College Productions). All contributions are eligible for matching funds. To learn more, visit www.giving.yorku.ca/InMemory.

For Bob Accinelli’s obituary, visit: https://rskane.ca/tribute/details/11371/Robert-Accinelli/obituary.html#tribute-start.

This story was originally published in yFile.