KILLHEFFER, ROBERT ELVIN Robert Elvin Killheffer, 72, of Branford, died peacefully on Sunday, October 2, 2016, surrounded by family and friends, at Yale New Haven Hospital. A librarian for over forty years, Robert had a passion for collecting rare books and special editions. Along with his wife, Anne, he relished cycling in Europe, kayaking on the Branford River, sampling unusual beer, enjoying music, and rooting for the Buffalo Bills. He loved to spend time with his grandsons, Aidan and Noah Killheffer of Guilford, CT. Robert grew up in Dobbs Ferry and Amherst, NY, the son of the late Elvin and Doris (Patrick) Killheffer. After graduating from Amherst High in 1962, Robert attended Wesleyan University and the University of Buffalo, earning master’s degrees in history and library science. He went on to a career that spanned more than thirty-five years at the Yale UniversityLibraries as a catalogue librarian and team leader in history and social sciences. Robert’s Yale colleagues remember him as a dedicated cataloguer, manager, and mentor to many. He made significant professional contributions throughout his career: supporting the organization of the Yale Library collections, participating actively in the American Library Association, and serving as a liaison between Yale’s Sterling Library and the Library of Congress. After his retirement from Yale University in 2010, he continued to catalogue for the Miller Memorial Library in Hamden, CT. He is survived by his wife of twenty-two years, Anne (Blankenbaker); by his four children from a previous marriage: Robert (Gwen) of Watertown, CT, Kathryn Gallicchio (Joseph) of New Haven, CT, Jason (Lisa) of Guilford, CT, and Christopher (Katya) of New Haven, CT; by his sister Nancy Hart of Hanover, NH; by his brother William of Aptos, CA; and by eight grandchildren. A memorial service to celebrate Robert’s life will be planned for later in the year. His favorite cause was the Elephant Sanctuary, a home for former zoo and circus elephants. In lieu of flowers, his family would appreciate donations in his memory to The Elephant Sanctuary, 27 East Main St., PO Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462.

Published in The New Haven Register on Oct. 6, 2016