‘When he talked, people listened’

Barbara Stewart Bostick, a pillar in the Dayton community, will help educate the next generation of Flyer lawyers in memory of her husband, a former adjunct professor at University of Dayton School of Law.

She is a legacy leader and lifetime member of the National Black Masters of Business Administration Association and co-founder and first president of the Dayton chapter. Since 2017, the organization has partnered with the University of Dayton School of Business Administration to host programs and engagement events for students and community members.

When Barbara reached out to the University of Dayton’s School of Law last spring, she had something else in mind: She intended to honor her late husband’s legacy and voice.

“When he talked, people listened,” said Barbara of her husband of 47 years. “There’s only one Bob Bostick.”

Robert “Bob” Bostick Sr. was a Dayton native who began practicing law after graduating in the 1950s from Case Western University School of Law as an honors student and a member of the Law Review during a time when there were few Black lawyers. He focused on real estate and civil law, criminal trial practice and litigation.

A beloved member of the Dayton community, Bob was involved with the Dayton Bar Foundation, an honorary member of the Dayton Bar Association and was co-founder and president of Dayton’s Thurgood Marshall Law Society. In 1982 he was honored by the Bar Association as barrister of the month.

Bob had a talent in the courtroom for synthesizing case information and delivering it to the jury in a compelling way. Area attorneys would sit in on his trials to glean skills they could use in their own cases, but Bob’s gift could not be replicated. 

“Bob was not afraid to challenge the system in his journey to justice.”

“Bob was not afraid to challenge the system in his journey to justice,” wrote Taylor Jones, an attorney and friend of Bob’s. 

Successful in his life and career, Bob remained humble about his accomplishments in law. The scope of his professional influence on the community and his peers became clear at his funeral in April 2024; more than 200 attended. Barbara heard new stories about how her husband influenced the lives of many.

One account came from attorney Walter Reynolds, who told how Bob successfully co-defended the Dayton Regional Transit Authority and a construction company owned by then-NBA player Oscar Robertson from a lawsuit related to a new bus facility. Bob displayed legal acumen and a big heart when he stepped in to defend Robertson from embarrassing and racially charged questioning. After the trial, “the Big O” shook Bob’s hand first — an acknowledgment that he was the best in court.

Bob was known for wielding his intelligence with kindness and imparting wisdom, especially to his students at the University of Dayton.

Bob served as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Dayton School of Law for several decades and administered courses in evidence, criminal and civil trial practice. He also held a position on the school’s advisory board and helped the search committee that hired Dean Lisa Kloppenberg. According to Barbara, he taught students and professionals alike, sharing his knowledge of the courtroom with those who needed help.

“I’d like to have people realize that they could be like [Bob] – have the intelligence and how he perfected his work,” said Barbara.

His time at UD inspired her to create a scholarship in his honor, to pass along her investment donated in his memory to the next generation of legal professionals. The memorial scholarship is set to be awarded in the fall of 2025, open to all students special consideration for members of the Black Law Students Association.

She said she hopes the Robert. A. Bostick Sr. Memorial Law Scholarship will allow students who might be deterred by financial burdens to thrive at the UD School of Law.

Barbara wants the scholarship to not only inspire the leaders of tomorrow but also let the community know about the work UD is doing to uplift students in financial need and expand access to education. Bob’s memory will live within them and the courtrooms they will practice in.