Robert E. Blundy

Robert Eugene “Bob” Blundy was born in Marion, Virginia on June 8, 1940.¹ In 1963, Blundy joined the White House staff.² According to his obituary: “He was handpicked out of 600 candidates by President John F. Kennedy from a Sheltered Workshop in Washington, D.C. to work in the White House in the first program sponsored by a President's family to help the mentally challenged.”³ Blundy was given a position as an upholster helper, assisting with various carpentry projects including the construction of rocking chairs to alleviate President Kennedy’s chronic back pain.⁴

Blundy later transferred to the White House Flower Shop, where he created award-winning floral arrangements for daily use and special events, including State Dinners, holidays, and weddings.⁵ He retired from his role as a flower shop assistant on August 11, 1975.⁶ The following year, he moved to St. Augustine, Florida, where he spent the rest of his life. Bob Blundy died on August 19, 2016.⁷