Robert Paul Malik

Robert P. Malik – 77 of Gettysburg, PA passed away after a long illness on August 19, 2025.

Bob was born and raised in Queens, New York. He grew up surrounded by his family as well as aunts, uncles and friends who enriched his childhood. After graduating HS he opened an electronics shop in Manhattan. When a unique opportunity presented itself, he took a gig with Larry Coryell’s The Eleventh House jazz band. As their road manager, he acquired his moniker “Swifty” for his speed and adeptness at changing guitar strings during a performance. The pioneering jazz/fusion band traveled world-wide during which time Bob corralled the talent and kept them on schedule. He and Larry would remain life-long friends.

In the late 70s Bob attended the Brooklyn Museum Arts School where he studied fine arts and sculpture. Soon after he became interested in photography and The Bob Malik Studio opened, beginning a decades-long career focused on catalog photography for a varied clientele including Bulova, Sunbeam and Faberware.

When the digital age steam rolled into the 90s, Bob reinvented himself with higher education classes at the New School University in Greenwich Village eventually becoming Creative Director. From there he moved on to Hadassah a Jewish Women’s Organization in Manhattan where he took on a similar role until the 911 tragedy.

The attack and a love interest were the catalyst to move from his long-time residence in Brooklyn Heights, NY where he had developed a knack for container gardening and a realization of an inherited green thumb. Retiring from the rat race he settled in Deer Park and began a new phase of life traveling as a civil war reenactor. Once again Bob reinvented himself through woodworking. Creating and selling Civil War Lanterns as a sutler he lit up many campsites and joined the confederacy as a member of an artillery brigade.

After another turn in the road, Bob did some travel and short stays near family and friends in Upstate NY sentimentally reconnecting with “the farm” (his paternal grandparents’ spread still owned by a close cousin). After more New England travel Bob set his sights further south and settled in Gettysburg there upon answering the call of another of his loves--history.

Eventually the wood developed into turning and Bob invented a hand-crafted line of products known as Witness Tree to honor the wood retrieved from hallowed ground. Bob was spotlighted in the Gettysburg Magazine as well as local newspapers and TV news.

Bob was an eternal artist, inventor, craftsman, sculptor, photographer, civil war reenactor, gardener, and enthusiastic home chef. Also a film buff, he loved to record, recommend and discuss movies of varying eras and genres. A true matter-of-fact New Yorker on the outside, he eventually warmed people with his quick wit, humor and charm. He will be greatly missed by loving family and friends.

He is predeceased by his father Adam Malik and mother Carmela Motto Malik, as well as brother-in-law George Schaffner, sister-in-law Peggy Malik and nephews Gary Schaffner and Michael Carman. Surviving him are his siblings Sonja Schaffner; Adam Michael (Gloria) Malik; Linda (Larry) Carman as well as nephews Michael Malik and Scott Schaffner; and nieces Gina Malik, Diana Carman Canning and Brenda Carman Ekstroem.

A Private Celebration of Bob's Life will be held at a later date. Heffner Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Inc. assisted with arrangements.