Robert A. Carlo

Robert A. Carlo, age 100, of Wayne, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 20, 2025, in the loving and comforting presence of his dear family.

Born in Paterson and raised in the family home at 13 Redwood Avenue, Bob was the youngest of Vincenzo and Nunziata (Pacelli) Carlo’s four children. His education took him through the eighth grade. He attended the first day of high school and, at the end of that day, said he’d give it one more try. But after the second day, Bob declared, “That’s enough for me!” He decided that rather than spending time in a classroom, he’d be better off entering the workforce—and he never looked back.

The next 49 and a half years were, indeed, well spent. Bob built a long and fulfilling career at Witco Chemical, in Paterson. Witco, a maker of powder and liquid soaps, became Bob’s professional home, and he truly loved his work. Over the years, he earned a reputation for turning around departments—improving efficiency, productivity, and morale wherever he went. His leadership and know-how won him the lasting respect of both his supervisors and his coworkers. Outside of work, Bob was affectionately known as “The Soap Man.”

During his time at Witco, the world was at war. In July of 1943, at just 18 years old, Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army. Eight months later, he was deployed overseas. Reflecting on the moment his regiment entered the battlefront, he once recalled: “We were in the channel for six, seven days before Eisenhower gave us the word. ‘We’re going to hand you over to the generals of the Army. ’We looked at each other and figured this was it.” It was the Normandy Invasion, and Bob’s infantry regiment landed at Utah Beach.

Sometime after his arrival Bob was injured—shrapnel from a grenade explosion struck him in the forehead. “It went up, instead of in,” he later said. “If it went in, I don’t know you.” The injury led to three months of hospitalization, a discharge from active duty, and him being awarded the Purple Heart.

Years later, at age 94, Bob was watching television coverage of the 75th anniversary of D-Day with his family. Moved by what he saw, he suddenly announced that he wanted to return to Normandy. And six months later, that’s exactly what he did—accompanied by his daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren, and great-granddaughter. That same year, he was honored with the Distinguished Service Medal, which he wore with pride, hanging over his heart from a red, white, and blue ribbon.

When Bob returned home from the war, his job at Witco was waiting for him. At that time, the company had retooled its production line to manufacture drums for gunpowder in support of the war effort, and Bob was trusted to lead that project.

Before Bob left for war he met the love of his life, Connie Silvano. They met at an Italian feast at Blessed Sacrament Church in Paterson. Connie took a liking to Bob right away, and in her characteristic fashion, she didn’t wait for him to ask her out—she asked him. Their first date was another Italian feast at Werner’s Grove in North Haledon (known today as The Tides), and from that moment, their relationship took off.

When Bob was called into Army service, Connie said she would wait for him—on one condition: they had to get engaged first. And so they did, exchanging love letters while he was overseas. After Bob’s return, the two were married on Sunday, October 21, 1945, at the newly built Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Paterson. They honeymooned at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, and one night, unsure what to do, they returned to Paterson for an evening at the Majestic Theater. During that same honeymoon, they made a rather untraditional stop at an appliance store in Newark to buy their first refrigerator, using $300 Bob had received from the Army.

Their first home was the three-family house at 13 Redwood Avenue—Bob’s childhood home. It became a true family residence: Bob and Connie on the first floor, Connie’s parents on the second, and Bob’s parents on the third. They remained there for 50 years, from 1945 to 1995, before moving to Wayne, where Bob lived for the remainder of his life.

Earlier this year, Bob celebrated his 100th birthday at a wonderful celebration hosted by his family at the Packanack Lake Clubhouse. More than a hundred guests came to honor him. Ever sharp and gracious, Bob gave a heartfelt speech in which he said, “I thank you for what you’ve given me.”

One of Bob’s favorite pastimes was heading to Atlantic City. He and Connie loved staying with their daughter Barbara and son-in-law Al in Brigantine, making trips to the casinos to try their luck at the slot machines. They may never have hit the jackpot, but they always came home with great memories.

Nothing was more important to Bob than his family. He showed his love for Connie, Barbara, Al, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in countless ways. Bob shared a special bond with his daughter, Barbara. From taking her as a child to the West Side Park, to driving hours just to bring her to college, he was always by her side. He embraced her love for yoga—thanks to Barbara and Al—and often picked her up after work as a teacher to head down to the shore. Their 4 p.m. coffee together became a cherished ritual, as did spontaneous drives for ice cream. Bob loved to tell the story of how he had hoped for a boy when Barbara was born, but over the years, he would always add how grateful he was that it was little Barbara who arrived—saying there’s no way he would have made it to 100 without her. And, of course, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren will always remember the five-dollar bill Pop would slip them every time he saw them.

Bob was, in every sense, one of the kindest and most humble people you could meet. He had a warm heart, a gentle charm, and—some might say—a playful, flirtatious spirit. Whether at his house or the porch down the Shore, he loved to greet his neighbors with a smile, a wave, and a familiar invitation: “Come over for a cup of coffee!”

After retiring from Witco, Bob wasn’t ready to sit still. He took a part-time job at ShopRite in Wayne offering customers free samples of prepared foods—an ideal job for a people-person like him. His friendliness and easy manner earned him the nickname “ShopRite Man.”

Bob’s life was deeply rooted in his faith. He and Connie were longtime parishioners at St. Mary’s in Paterson. In his later years, he attended Mass with his daughter Barbara and her husband Al at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne.

His family and friends are forever grateful to God for the gift of Bob’s life. One hundred years filled with love, laughter, dedication, and grace—truly, a life well lived. Not long ago, Bob raised a coffee mug and said, “Cent ’Anni!”—“Good health for 100 years.”

Rest peacefully, Bob. We love you.

Bob was the devoted husband of Constance (Silvano) Carlo for 70 years until Connie’s passing in 2015. He was the loving father of Barbara and her husband Al Turco of Wayne; cherished grandfather of Amy and her husband Dave Fazekas of Glen Ridge, David and his wife Stacy Turco of Wayne, and Michael and his wife Nicole Turco of Wayne and the beloved great-grandfather of Tyler, Maci, and Alex Fazekas, and Aidan, Dylan, and Kylie Turco. He was predeceased by his two older brothers, Pasquale and Michael Carlo, and his sister, Seraphine Cerce.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a gesture of sympathy in Robert’s memory are kindly asked to consider a donation to: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society which was a cause near and dear to his heart. www.lightthenightmichaelturco.com

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