Bob Jolly: key obituary facts
Is Bob Jolly dead? Yes. Bob Jolly died on June 18, 2026, at age 95.
Cause of death: Bob Jolly's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Bob Jolly known for?
He was known as New Zealand veterinary pathologist (1930–2026).
More about Bob Jolly
Born: 1 October 1930.
Place of birth: Hamilton.
Place of death: Palmerston North.
Gender: male.
Occupation: veterinarian, academic, botanist.
Nationality: New Zealand.
Education: University of Sydney.
Employer: Massey University.
Awards: Hector Medal, Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australia, Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.
Also known as: Robert Jolly, Robert D. Jolly, Robert Dudley Jolly, R. D. Jolly, RD Jolly, R.D. Jolly, Jolly.
Bob Jolly, a New Zealand veterinary scientist and academic, died on June 18, 2026, aged 95.
Born Robert Dudley Jolly in Hamilton on October 1, 1930, he built his career at Massey University, where he specialised in animal pathology and later became an emeritus professor. After studying veterinary science at the University of Sydney and graduating in 1955, he worked in practice in Rotorua before returning to Sydney for doctoral study, completing a PhD in 1964.
He joined Massey as a senior lecturer in 1965 and remained there until his retirement in 1995. His research included animal models of human disease, among them Batten disease and mannosidosis. Jolly was awarded the Hector Medal in 1995 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.