Robert Kenneth McNally, 85, died at home on April, 2, 2014, surrounded by his family in Dayville, Connecticut, following a short illness. Robert was born at his family home in Thompson, Connecticut, on April 27, 1928. He is the son of the late Iscah Keach McNally and Agnes (Johnson) McNally. Robert graduated from Putnam Trade School in 1947, where he starred on the basketball team. After high school, Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed for a time in Stuttgart, Germany. While there, he traded a ration of sugar for a German camera, with which he recorded a lifetime of family trips and celebrations. In 1953, after discharge from the Army, Robert married Joan Winterburn of Putnam, Connecticut, his wife of over sixty years, whom he met on a blind date arranged by his future mother-in-law. The young couple moved first to Providence, Rhode Island and later settled in the Laurel Hill area of Norwich, Connecticut, where they raised three sons. Robert worked at General Dynamics - Electric Boat Division for 34 years, first as a draftsman and later as a senior designer. He was a loyal member of the Marine Draftsman Association. He retired from Electric Boat in 1990. After he retired, he designed and built a home on Lake Alexander in Dayville, Connecticut, where he and Joan moved in 1991. Robert is survived by his wife, Joan, and his three sons, Mark McNally of Dayville, Connecticut (Karen Esposito), Kurt McNally of Woodstock, Connecticut (Cassandra Ryan), and Derek McNally of New York, New York (Robert W. F. McNally). Robert is also survived by his five grandchildren, Katie Post (Luke Post) of North Stonington, Connecticut; Meghan Rose-McNally (Nathan "Woody" Rose) of Providence, Rhode Island; Kellan McNally of Boston, Massachusetts; Ryan McNally of Lisbon, Portugal; and Cameron McNally of Woodstock, Connecticut; and his three great-grandchildren, Cora Post, Luke Post, Jr., and Eloise Post. In addition, he is survived by his older brother, Frank McNally of Thompson, Connecticut, and his younger brother, Walter McNally of Canterbury, Connecticut, and many loving nieces and nephews. Robert's brother, Russell McNally, and his daughter-in-law, Denise (Concascia) McNally, predeceased him. Robert often called friends and family "Pally," a term by which he was also affectionately known. He will be remembered for his patience, creativity, dry wit, gentle nature, and for his unconditional love of family and UCONN basketball. He never spoke negatively of anyone. He was a father figure to many. Robert's family invites friends and family to join them for a memorial celebration of his life on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at Grill 37, located at 37 Putnam Road (Route 44) in Pomfret, Connecticut, at 2:00 P.M. Guests are invited to stay after the memorial to enjoy food and drinks and to share their memories of Robert. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Robert's memory to the Lake Alexander Homeowners' Association, c/o Debra Kirkconnell, PO Box 764, Dayville, Connecticut 06241, for the protection of the lake, which Robert loved dearly. To share a memory with his family, "Light a Candle" at www.smithandwalkerfh.com