Robert L. DeLillo Sr. age 71 of Butler, formerly of Garfield, on Friday, February 5, 2010 at the Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Wayne. His passing was quiet and peaceful while receiving the loving care of his family who shared prayer and support with him at his bedside. He was so appreciative of his life that he was often known to say, “I am so blessed”.
Just about one year ago he developed an illness called, “Vasculitis,” that eventually took his life. He put up a valiant battle with his illness.
He was born in Passaic and received his formal education at Passaic Grammar School and later Passaic High School. He later lived in Garfield for forty five years before moving to Butler four years ago.
Bob was of strong Italian background and was very proud of his heritage. His closest friends and- he had many- called him Butch, and everyone else called him Bob.
At the age of nineteen he joined the Army and spent time in Germany as part of the occupation forces after World War II. While in Germany when he had time off, he would travel to Italy to explore the beautiful country that his ancestors came from.
Bob was a building construction worker and supervisor for Union Local 23 in New York City for twenty-six years and retired from that job in 1983. He also was an entrepreneur, and for twenty-five years maintained an outlet store of general merchandise in the Stony Hill area of Paterson. He retired from that work when he became ill.
Bob was a very devout Catholic in his heart, and while in Garfield, he was an active parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows RC Church.
He was gifted with an extraverted personality that brought joy to his life and to those around him. He was a skilled joke teller and was full of kindness and generosity. He often focused on helping people that were less fortunate than himself. Because of his social skills and big heart, he had many friends.
Butch also was very dedicated to his family, a good provider, and the best dad and papa a child could ever ask for. When grandchildren arrived in his life he was ecstatic and just loved all of them with his whole heart. His greatest gift was his legacy of love.
He especially enjoyed having family around him as well as large birthday parties for himself. He loved a crowd at his birthday celebrations.
In 1960 he met, through relatives, a pretty girl named Jeanette Spoto. They courted for about one year and then married on April 8, 1961. It is well known that he finally caught Jeanette who played hard to get. They honeymooned in the Poconos. The only problem with the honeymoon was that they forgot to bring warm clothing to the mountains, and when winter gave its last blast of snow that week, they nearly froze to death. As things turned out Bob and Jeanette had forty-nine years of a “mutually fulfilling, loving” marriage together.
Surviving to mourn the loss of this great family man are: his loving wife Jeanette, one son Robert L. DeLillo Jr. and his wife Geralyn; one daughter Jennifer Tempio and her husband Stephen, all of Kinnelon; one sister Carmella Ross and her husband Richard of Annandale; eight cherished grandchildren Jaclyn, Jillian, Kristen, Katelyn, and Bobby DeLillo, and Jennifer, Melissa, and Stephen Tempio.
His two brothers Joseph and Michael DeLillo predeceased him earlier.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 9 AM from the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne then to Our Lady of Magnificat RC Church, 2 Miller Road in Kinnelon, where at 10 AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home on Tuesday, February 9th from 2-4, 7-9 PM. Those planning an expression of sympathy in Robert’s memory are asked to consider the Vasculitis Foundation, “For Vasculitis Research” P.O. Box 28660, Kansas City, MO 64188-8660