{"id":11577441,"date":"2025-07-26T05:00:54","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T09:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11577441"},"modified":"2025-07-25T21:27:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T01:27:59","slug":"robert-seurkamp-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/07\/26\/robert-seurkamp-dies\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Seurkamp, former Xerox executive and Notre Dame of Maryland fixture, dies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robert Seurkamp, a retired Xerox executive who was a presence at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where his wife had been president, died of heart failure July 18 at his Baltimore County home. He was 85.<\/p>\n

Born in Cincinnati, he was the son of William Seurkamp, a police officer, and his wife, Angie Elizabeth. As a high school student, he worked at Putnick\u2019s hardware store and picked up skills in home repair, mechanics and construction. He attended Miami University in Ohio and earned a degree from SUNY Empire State in Rochester.<\/p>\n

In 1959, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Colorado and New Jersey. As an aircraft mechanic, he was assigned to Florida during the April 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba.<\/p>\n

After leaving the military, he joined Xerox Corporation in Cincinnati. He worked his way up from service technician to management and held posts with the firm in Boston; Greenwich, Connecticut; and Rochester, New York.<\/p>\n

He became Xerox’s manager of industrial relations and multinational customer service strategy. Mr. Seurkamp received the Xerox President\u2019s Award.<\/p>\n

He met his future wife, Mary Pat Reuwer, on a date arranged by friends.<\/p>\n

“I suggested a lunch because I thought it would not take up too much time. Then, three hours later, we were still talking,” she said.<\/p>\n

After retiring from Xerox, Mr. Seurkamp achieved a lifetime dream: to buy and run a marina. He owned and operated the East Bluff Harbor Marina on one of the Finger Lakes, Keuka Lake, in upstate New York.<\/p>\n

\"Obit:<\/p>\n

“It was a lot of work for him,” his wife said. “He turned the marina around and wound up storing more than 300 boats over the winter.” Mr. Seurkamp also raced hydroplane craft and had earlier raced stock cars.<\/p>\n

After his wife was named president of what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University in 1997, he became a presence at university events. They lived in Roland Park, and he assisted with her duties at home receptions and gatherings.<\/p>\n

“So much of fundraising is about cultivating friendships, and that involves both partners,” his wife said. “People found Bob charming. I’d walk into a room and people would ask, ‘Where’s Bob?'”<\/p>\n