Robert D’Arienzo

Robert J. D’Arienzo, “Bobby D” age 65 of Pompton Plains and a longtime former resident of Wayne, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, November 28, 2022.

The second of Romeo and Edith (Milite) D’Arienzo’s two children, Bobby was born in New York City and, after beginning life in the Bronx, his family moved to Elmwood Park, NJ. Bobby graduated Elmwood Park High School with the Class of 1975. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in 1979 from William Paterson College (today called William Paterson University). During his years in high school and college, he excelled at ice hockey and played for both schools.

It was while working his first full-time job at Suburban Savings Bank in Wayne, that Bobby met the love of his life Debbie Brino. She also worked at the bank and she’d often go to lunch with her girlfriend Lynn. Having a sincere interest in Debbie, Bobby would tag along. This practice went on for a while until one day Bobby asked Debbie if they could just go to lunch alone. It became a regular practice and their go-to eatery was the former Taco Maker on Berdan Ave. They’d get their food and then head up Berdan Ave to the park by the Wayne Museum along the Point View Reservoir They’d sit at a picnic table where friendship grew to love. Fast forward to one night at the former Gaspers in Wayne, Bobby asked Debbie to marry him. He had the engagement ring hidden inside his Frye cowboy boot. She enthusiastically said yes but later realized that Bobby had never asked her parents for permission to marry her. Very soon after, they went to a Giants football game where Debbie’s father had a luxury box. There he received permission from her parents and the engagement was official! Bobby and Debbie exchanged their wedding promises before God, family and friends on Saturday, October 13, 1984 at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes. After a reception at The Manor in West Orange they honeymooned in Hawaii.

Being a mortgage banker, Bobby and Debbie moved numerous times throughout their marriage. They started out in a townhouse in Lincoln Park at 78 Gettysburg Way. Nine months later they moved across town to a condo at 135 Harvest Lane. After eight months they moved again into a home at 39 Kiwanis Drive in Wayne. During their eight years living there, Bobby and Debbie were blessed with two wonderful daughters and an awesome son. The next move was to 81 Yellow Brick Road where they stayed for a whopping twenty-five years. Bobby loved that house. He even made a 20 foot by 40-foot ice skating rink in the back yard for the kids. In 2018, they moved into their present home in Pompton Plains.

Bobby eventually left his job at Suburban Savings to become a mortgage banker at National City Mortgage Company in Clark, NJ. Most of his career was spent there. He later worked for Atlantic Home Loans in Parsippany and was just getting ready to retire. Because he was often the highest producer in his company, he won many-a trip to great destinations like Mexico, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and Miami.

Bobby was an active, fun-loving guy who was always up to something. As a young man he could be found at the gym working out, and in more recent years he got involved in the men’s softball and hockey leagues. He also served as a hockey coach for his son Rob. He had a couple of nice corvettes, one of which he wanted to bring his daughter Julianne to school in but she was too concerned about attracting unwanted attention. Bobby loved to build and fix things. He had a blast making that ice rink in the back yard. While his kids skated, he stayed warm by his chimenea while sitting on the bench that he built and his cat Mikey was always faithfully by his side. He also built the kids a tree house, built a shed for himself, and a backyard deck. He renovated his daughter, Nichole and Mike's first home.

With Bobby, his kids enjoyed a fun-filled childhood and life was always interesting for the whole family. Favorite memories included nights out for Karaoke at the Tawara Bar in Wayne. His favorite songs to sing were Elton John’s Rocket Man, The Foundation’s Build Me up Buttercup, and anything by Boston. Not necessarily the voice of discipline, Bobby was known to take his children out on Goosy Night. It was clean fun as they only TP’d their own bushes and trees and maybe the neighbor’s house from whom Bobby had already received permission. Family vacations were spent taking Carnival cruises to the Bahamas, Cancun and Canada, as well as trips to Florida, Lancaster Pennsylvania, and, of course, the ever-trusty Jersey Shore. And when his four grandchildren came into his life, Bobby’s world was never the same. He was always psyched when he knew they were coming to his house. To him, they were magical!

Bobby was a witty and kind, the life of the party! His practice of dancing with a trash can at corporate parties earned him the title “Trash Can Man.” He was a generous person and he had a real soft place in his heart for homeless animals. His late cat Mikey was rescued from a shelter. His late dog Teddy would have also been from a shelter too but his love for his daughter Julianne won out. She wanted a dog so bad that she saved every penny to buy one. She’d put another dollar or two into her “dog fund” and then go ask her daddy if she had enough now. Finally, Bobby melted and he just bought her the dog she wanted. As mentioned, the dog’s name was Teddy and he turned out to be Bobby’s favorite walking buddy.  

Bobby is survived by his beloved wife Debbie, blessed in marriage for 38 years. He was the loving father of: Nicole Thuring and husband Mike of Pompton Plains, Robert N. D’Arienzo and wife Gabrielle of Montville, and Julianne Sclavounos and husband Aris of Oakland; cherished grandfather of: Luca, Penelope, R.J., and Leo; dearest brother of Francine Hamilton and husband Ralph of Wayne; dear uncle of: Michael Hamilton and wife Kim, Jaclyn Hamilton, Reid Hensen, and Stevie Hensen; dear son-in-law of Rosalie and the late Ed Brino (2022) of Pompton Plains; and dear brother-in-law of: Christina Brino of Pompton Plains, and Laurie Hensen and her husband Reid of Wayne.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Robert’s name are asked to consider one of the following charitable organizations:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Memorial Processing

501 St. Jude Place

Memphis, TN 38105-9959

Click Here for mailable form to send with your donation

FOWA Rescue (Friends of Wayne Animals Rescue)

PO Box 3701

Wayne, NJ 07470

Click Here for mailable for to send with your donation