Anthony Rives Bott

Anthony Rives Bott, 102, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 30, 2021, at his Cornwall Manor apartment in Cornwall, Pennsylvania. Anthony was born on January 9, 1919, in East St. Louis, Illinois, the son of the late Dr. Anthony Edward and Pauline (Rives) Bott.
Anthony, the son and grandson of veterinarians, attended Texas A & M, College Station, Texas, and received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1944. While there, he met and married the “love of his life” for seventy years, Lou E. Bott, who passed away in 2015.
Anthony participated in the Army ROTC at Texas A & M and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Cavalry. After graduating, he was called to active duty and served in the Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, 10th Mountain Division. In the fall of 1944, he was shipped overseas to Italy where his division became part of the 5th Army. Anthony received a Victory Medal and two battle stars for his involvement in the Northern Apennines and the Po Valley campaigns in Italy. After the war ended in Europe, he was assigned to the Veterinary Corps as a First Lieutenant, serving in the redeployment unit.
After the end of his military service in early 1947, Anthony joined his family’s veterinary business in Illinois, Corn Belt Laboratories, which produced pharmaceuticals and biologics for veterinarians to use in their practices. Anthony and his wife Lou made their home in nearby Belleville, Illinois, where they raised three children, Nancy, Anthony and Cynthia.
Anthony and Lou moved to Lebanon, Pennsylvania in 1971, after the family business was acquired by Rohm & Haas Company. He became the Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs of one of its subsidiaries, Whitmoyer Laboratories, Inc. Anthony and Lou joined the Cornwall United Methodist Church as well as the Lebanon Country Club, and made many wonderful friends in the area, and played many rounds of golf. After Anthony retired, he and Lou enjoyed traveling, often to visit family in Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Florida or to meet up with friends to play golf, his favorite pastime.
Anthony was active in many organizations including the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association (serving as its president in 1971); American Veterinary Medical Association; American Association of Industrial Veterinarians (serving as its president in 1972-1973); Lebanon Country Club, Member of Board of Governors, 1980-1983. Anthony was active in the United Methodist Church throughout his life both in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and participated in various functions at the churches, primarily as a member of the church choir and at times, its choir director.
Anthony enjoyed music greatly and attended many concerts both before and after he and Lou moved to Cornwall Manor in 2009. He was also a gifted photographer, creating decades of visual memories for the family. Anthony enjoyed many events at Cornwall Manor including get-togethers with other residents of Bradley Hall and Cornwall Manor Society programs. He participated in the Senior Olympics at Cornwall Manor, winning the putting green competition in his late nineties.
Anthony is survived by his three children, Nancy, wife of Michael Grimes of St. Louis, MO; Anthony “Tony”, husband of Yoshiko Bott of Herndon, VA.; Cynthia “Cindy” Bott, wife of Kirk Fornes of Orange, CT.; and grandchildren, Taylor, husband of Becca Grimes; Tristan Bott; Chase Grimes; and, great-grandchildren, Olivia and Adelaide Grimes.
Anthony will be greatly missed by all.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lou E. Bott; his brothers, Robert P. Bott; Edward S. Bott of Belleville, IL.; and sisters, Betty L. Shaw of Maitland, FL.; and Pauline C. Davis of Buckland, MA.
Memorial remembrances in Anthony’s memory may be made to Cornwall United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 687, Cornwall, PA 17106, or to Cornwall Manor, 1 Boyd St., Cornwall, PA 17106.
A memorial service to celebrate Anthony’s life will be held Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at Cornwall Manor’s Zerr Chapel, 1 Boyd St., Cornwall, PA, with the Rev. Dave Harris and Rev. Tim Kriebel officiating. Interment in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. For further information, please call 717-272-4634 or to share online condolences, visit www.porterfieldscheidfh.com .