Robert H. Fesmire, Sr. – Bob to his many friends and customers – passed away in Naples, FL on June 15. He was the Chairman of EllisLudell, an industry leading water treatment and industrial laundry equipment company based in Itasca, IL. He was also a principal and part-owner of Hybridworks, a garment recycling company based in Dayton, Ohio.
Fesmire, Sr. was born July 17, 1941, in Greensboro, NC to Lester and Mable (Hinton) Fesmire. After stints at Guilford College and in the United States Marine Corps, he graduated from the University of Georgia and started a lifelong career in sales, beginning at the Union Camp Corporation. It was on a blind date in Chicago that Bob met the love of his life: the former Victoria (“Tory”) Parkin. The couple married in 1965, and he soon went to work at the Ellis Corporation, founded by Tory’s great-grandfather in 1898. In 1968, he became President of Ellis, ushering in the 4th generation of family leadership.
Priding himself on listening to his customers, Fesmire, Sr. sought innovative ways to solve their problems. In 1973, he purchased the Winchester Corporation, making Ellis one of the first companies to introduce wastewater treatment equipment to the industrial laundry space. In 1989, in a Paris bathtub, he came up with the idea of turning Hubey, Ellis’ design for the first patented industrial unloading washing machine, into a washer extractor. Today, there are thousands of these machines operating around the world. In 1996, he purchased Ludell Manufacturing, giving Ellis a foothold in new industries and an ASME manufacturing plant in Milwaukee, WI. He began stepping back From Ellis and Ludell in 2020 and his son (also Robert Fesmire) was named C.E.O has been actively running the business since then as the 5th generation to lead the company. In 2023, a call from an industry colleague led to Fesmire, Sr. to become part-owner of Hybridworks LLC, a company that chemically separates cotton from polyester and other petroleum-based products to be recycled back into the textile supply chain through a patented chemical process.
Fesmire Sr. brought equal passion to his personal life. He and Tory raised their family in Barrington, IL. They were the consummate hosts (their themed parties are the stuff of legend), avid golfers, and world travelers. They belonged to several country and social clubs. They generously donated their time to Chicago-area charities.
Though Fesmire Sr., had retired from the business and he and Tory moved to Naples, FL permanently in 2022, the business was never far away from him. He is survived by Tory, their son Bob, their daughter Ferris Fesmire Buddy and her husband Noah, and four granddaughters: Madeline, Eleanor, Vivian, and Stella. He predeceased his younger brother Jim Fesmire of Greensboro, NC by 2 weeks.
A fan of country music, rock ‘n’ roll, and doo wop, Fesmire Sr. loved playing golf and boating in Naples, FL. He sang in a deep baritone, loved to laugh, and seemingly had a story for every occasion. He will be missed.
