Obituary of Robert "Bob" Alan Pomaville Gates

Robert Alan Pomaville Gates, 59, of Soddy Daisy, TN, was called to his everlasting home with God unexpectedly after a brief illness, on Monday, July 20, 2020. Born on August 12, 1960, in Standish, MI to Mary Joan Anderson and Robert Alan Pomaville, Bob was a proud Western Carolina University alum graduating in 1982 with a B.S. in Marketing. Truly one of the most caring, down to earth people you could ever have the pleasure of knowing, Bob was a loving husband and father, who cared deeply for his family, friends, colleagues, and clients. Bob started a new company, Pomaville Consulting, in January. This was his calling! He absolutely loved his work which allowed him to use his extraordinary gifts designing outdoor living spaces and creating backyards his clients dreamed of. Bob and his family lived in Atlanta for over 20 years before moving full-time to their house on Chickamauga Lake in 2017. This place, he often said, was his “favorite place on the planet”. He loved being out on the deck or on the boat, enjoying God’s blessings and spending time with those who loved him. Bob was a life-long New York Yankees fan and utterly loved watching them play. Bob is survived by his loving family. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 23 years, Robin, and two beautiful children, Nicole (Dave) 19, and Brett, 17. He was so enormously proud of his children and loved being a father! They now have a special angel in Heaven who will always be with them. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert, who died when Bob was five. He was especially close with his Uncle Dick Anderson, in Omer, MI and the two of them together were non-stop entertainment and laughs. His cousins, Missy (Ed) Pfund, Tracy (Jay) Sabin, and Richie (Cheryl) Anderson meant so much to him, more than they could ever know. Bob recently found his long lost Pomaville family and was finally able to meet all his Pomaville cousins. Throughout Bob’s life, he overcame many challenges and struggles, both personally and professionally. His closest friends would describe him as mentally one of the strongest people they had ever known. His unwavering faith in God, combined with his steadfast belief that if you work hard, good things will come, got him through each day. Always doing anything he could to help a friend, a stranger on the street, or the many charities he supported, unbeknownst to most. Bob never wanted a gold star. He would want to be remembered as the guy who dearly loved his family and friends, who never gave up, and who gave it his all in this life no matter what the circumstances. He will be dearly missed by his brother-in-law Kevin Ellis of Kissimmee FL, his ex-brother-in-law Al Lopez of Knoxville, TN, his many Tailgater friends in Atlanta, (you know who you are!), Dr. Eric Friedberg and his wife Julie, and so many more who truly loved him. At this time, due to COVID19, a physical gathering in Celebration of Bob’s Life is not yet planned. For now, the family would love to hear your special memories of Bob to help get through this extremely difficult time. Please share your memories, photos, and stories at www.legacyfunerahome.com. Arrangements by Legacy Funeral Home 8911 Dallas Hollow Rd. Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379 (423) 842-2525.