Robert Henri Fast, 93, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family in Spotsylvania County on October 4, 2022.

Robert was born in Brussels, Belgium to Henri and Margot Fast. He emigrated to the United States in 1939 and became a naturalised citizen in 1953. He completed his undergraduate degree at Illinois College followed by a Masters degree from Aurora College in Shanghai and a PhD from the University of Paris.

In 1958, Robert was Director of the United Nations Pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair. He then moved to Los Angeles where he launched Inter Nations Travel Associates where he served a variety of Hollywood luminaries. He was appointed to the Mayor's Community Advisory Committee for the City of Los Angeles.

Subsequently, he set out on a new career as a financial advisor with such firms as Dean Witter and Smith Barney where he became the Managing Director for its European brokerage operations based in Paris. He then went on to manage the financial and banking activities for Frab Bank and Societe Bancaire Arabe in Paris, Intra Investment Bank in Lebanon, a private consultancy in Saudi Arabia and was the first Managing Director of Bahrain Investment Bank. He returned to Paris to retire.

Following his retirement, he moved to Spotsylvania County in Virginia.

Robert was also a philatelist, wine connoisseur and an exceptionally talented artist.

Robert is survived by his wife of 49 years, Virginia, his three sons, R Marc Fast of Locust Grove, Virginia, Robert A Fast (Anita) of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Steven B Fast (Patricia) of Auckland, New Zealand, and his three daughters Mireille Fast Roche of Nice, France, Valerie Fast of Spotsylvania, Virginia and Anne Milligan (James) of Locust Grove, Virginia. He is predeceased by his son, Alain. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Christopher, Adriana, Timothée, Clara, Samantha, and Jamie and one great-grandchild, Leon.

Funeral services will be private.