Robert C. Bongiovanni

Robert C. Bongiovanni, age 80, of Jersey City passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 while receiving the loving care of his family.

Robert "Rob" was born and raised in Jersey City and was the only child to Anthony and Theresa Bongiovanni. Robert attended St. Aloysius High School in Jersey City.  After graduating high school in 1958, Robert attended and graduated from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City in 1963.  While in college, Robert was enrolled in the ROTC.  Upon graduation, he was sent to Infantry and Officer Basic Training at Fort Benning Military Base.  While serving in the US Army, Robert earned the position of Infantry Company Commander at the US Army Installation Fort Knox, then spent five years in the Army Reserves.  Through these experiences, Robert met his lifelong friends, Lew Haskins, Gerry Manna, Frank Edmonson, and Gary Cademartori.  

After his service, he worked in the finance realm for a number of different accounting firms. His jobs brought him to various locations, including NJ, Marina del Rey, and finally, Falls Church and Williamsburg, Virginia. Through the years he worked at Citicorp, and Cordiem in high-level finance positions.  He then became CFO for the Curtiss-Wright Corporation in Ashburn, VA where he remained for the next ten years until his retirement in 2011.

Music was Robert's heart and soul and his parents gave him the gift of music at a young age.  He started with piano, accordion, organ lessons and learned how to read and write music. He started as a teenager on the Ted Mack TV Amateur Hour to include a season's keyboard chair in the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra.  He played in bands, notably, "Bernie and the Blue Notes", throughout high school and college, playing dances and popular venues in Jersey City, Bayonne, and Hoboken. Eventually he moved on to join a "set group" of talented musicians, where he began writing, arranging, and composing music.  Drawing on their weekday careers in finance, they became "The Sound Investment," headlining on weekends in New York and New Jersey nightclubs, jazz clubs, and recording sessions. They were also a house band for many years in the 1970's and 1980's at the Wayne Manor.  In his later years, Robert produced many successful shows at the Kimball Theater in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Robert was a man who was full of life and had an abundance of charisma.  He enjoyed being the center of attention and could captivate an audience with his ability to tell a story or a joke.  He was an entertainer at heart and kept people singing and dancing with his music.  He was an avid golfer and photographer. Robert was proud of both his Polish and Italian heritage and was a wonderful cook, famous with family and friends for his Linguini with Clam Sauce. Being Italian, it was no surprise that his favorite travel destination was Sorrento, Italy. He remained proud of his Jersey City roots and had many stories to tell of life in the "old neighborhood."

Aside from all of his hobbies, talents, and interests, his greatest passion was for his family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Robert than spending time with his children and grandchildren.  He lived a full life, with many memorable experiences and tons of stories to tell.  Robert was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by his family and friends alike.

Robert is survived by his daughter Nicole Marquez and her husband Ed of Wayne, NJ, two sons; Jeff Bongiovanni of Wayne, NJ, and Greg Bongiovanni and his wife Julia of Hoboken, NJ, three grandchildren; Gigi Marquez of Wayne, NJ, Colin Bongiovanni of Hoboken, NJ, and Maggie Bongiovanni of Hoboken, NJ, and many other loving extended family members.  He was predeceased by his loving wife of 20+ years, Barbara Mayo, in 2011.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Robert’s name may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America, 8719 Colesville Rd Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910, http://www.vva.org