Robert Howard Springer

Robert Howard Springer

October 15, 1946 – December 21, 2025

Robert Howard Springer, a man who could command a room with a story and navigate the open water with ease, passed away at his home in Atlantis, Florida, on December 21, 2025. He was 79 years old.

Robert’s story began in New York on October 15, 1946. As a young boy, he lived in New York and Michigan before his parents, Howard and Eleanor along with his younger brother Richard, finally settled in Lake Worth in 1958. It was here, under the Florida sun, that Robert’s passions for the water and exotic cars took root. Whether he was perfecting his stroke off the shore of the Breakers or admiring the iconic lines of a Porsche 930, Robert found joy in the fine details that made life extraordinary.

He was a graduate of Lake Worth High School (c/o 1964) and Florida Atlantic University (c/o 1968), but a defining chapter began in 1968. While in his first semester at Stetson Law School, he was called into service and deployed to Vietnam. He traded his law books for a uniform, serving with honor until he returned home in November 1970. With the same persistence he used to finish a long-distance swim, he returned to Stetson and earned his law degree in 1973. His long and distinguished legal career came full circle in 2023, when he was celebrated by the Florida Bar Association for more than 50 years of dedicated service to the profession.

Though he achieved much in his career and service, the finest chapter of Robert’s story began when he married the love of his life, Cynthia Legros, in 1975. For 50 years, they built a foundation of love and loyalty that became the heartbeat of their family. Robert’s legacy is vividly reflected in his three children. His eldest, Jonathan, married to Nicolette, inherited his father’s gift for a well-timed tale. His son Darrell, married to Amanda, mirrors Robert’s work ethic. Jonathan and Darrell also share their father’s passion for the road, carrying on his appreciation for the art and thrill of driving. His daughter Sarah, married to Ian, honors her father by following in his professional footsteps as a dedicated lawyer. She also shared his enthusiasm for football and mutual belief that no meal was complete without a proper dessert.

Robert found immense pride in his grandchildren, in whom he saw his own passions take new forms. He delighted in seeing Easton inherit the family love for cars, watching Emmerson master her musical talents with a sense of humor that mirrored his own, and witnessing Kerrington’s deep compassion for animals, a trait she shares with her grandmother. In Avery, he recognized his own sharp wit and impeccable timing, ensuring the family’s storytelling tradition will live on.

To Robert, a life was best measured by the people you shared it with. This was never more apparent than in the fourteen years of completing his annual swim around Key West. What began in 1980 as a personal challenge blossomed into a cherished annual tradition, drawing a dedicated circle of family and friends to the island each year to cheer him on and share in the celebration. Robert was never happier than when surrounded by his family, whether recounting a favorite memory from behind the wheel of a well-loved car or sharing a laugh after a morning spent in the water. He leaves behind a roadmap of integrity, resilience, and a reminder that a good story, like a good life, is all in how you tell it.

Information regarding the memorial service will be shared as soon as arrangements are finalized.