Robert Bradwell Rivers passed away on September 21, 2026, at Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Southminster in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was 85 years old.
Robert was born in Wadesboro, North Carolina, on May 12, 1941, eldest child of John Robert Rivers and Valerie Woodward Rivers. He grew up in Chesterfield, SC before leaving home to attend Davidson College, where he joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated in 1963 with a Finance degree.
Robert proudly served in the Army, spending time at Fort Sill and Fort Bragg as well as South Korea DMZ. He was honorably discharged in 1969.
He began his career in finance with Citizen and Southern National Bank (C&S) in Atlanta before moving to Baltimore, Maryland, working for Maryland National Bank. He later joined Chevy Chase Bank in the Washington, D.C area. Robert delayed his retirement to aid in the acquisition by CapitalOne, before retiring in 2009.
Upon his retirement, Robert made the move to Sarasota, Florida where he quickly got involved in his new neighborhood, including writing the community newsletter. He spent 15 years in Sarasota and moved to Charlotte in 2024 to be closer to his daughter and her family. He was a resident of Matthews Glen, where he especially enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of his Davidson 3rd floor neighbors.
Outside of work, Robert loved to watch sports with the Washington (Redskins) Commanders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being his favorite NFL teams. He enjoyed traveling and visited many European and South America countries. He had a sharp and curious mind and took great pleasure in keeping up with current events, monitoring his stock portfolio, and reading multiple newspapers each day.
Robert also had an extraordinary ability to research just about anything. Whether it was a major decision, such as buying a car, or something as seemingly insignificant as choosing a computer keyboard, he wanted to understand every option before making a decision. His devotion to Consumer Reports became a running family joke—and a memorable part of who he was.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Michael Rivers. He is survived by his daughter Meredith and husband Todd Burkitt of Charlotte, NC; son David and wife Kate Rivers of Louisville, CO; son Matthew and wife Laura Rivers of Janesville, WI. He is also survived by nine adoring grandchildren, as well as his sister, Anne Rivers, and her children, Caroline Hart and Will Lilly; and a large extended Rivers family.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2026 in the Rivers Cemetery in Chesterfield, SC. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in his honor.
The family would like to express its deepest gratitude to the incredible staff at Via Health Partners and Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Southminster for the compassionate care they provided Robert during his final days. The family is especially grateful for the way they honored Robert’s medical directives and helped to ensure that his final days were lived with comfort, dignity, and respect.