Robert J. Scartozzi

Robert J. Scartozzi, age 52, of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday December 20, 2018.

Robert grew up in Wayne and attended Wayne Valley High School, graduating with the class of 1984.  Immediately after graduating, Robert went to work in the construction industry, being accepted into the Tapers Union.  He worked for several years in the Tapers Union then moved to North Carolina where he enjoyed attending Nascar events and owned and managed a small tavern.  It wasn’t long after gaining ownership of the tavern, Robert then decided to move back to New Jersey and help his sister with the construction of her home.

When Robert arrived back in New Jersey and started to assist his sister, he was diagnosed with a form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.  But with early detection and chemotherapy, Robert was able to be put into remission and beat it.

Robert continued his construction career working for Peterson Construction and the Carpenter’s Union Local 253.  He bought a home across the street from a gentleman he was working with in Wayne.  His neighbor and friend across the street had a step-daughter named Sarah Fream.  Sarah and Robert were invited to a mutual friend’s house one evening.  There, Robert cooked some shrimp Scampi for Sarah and they watched the movie “Dodgeball.”  Sarah found the shrimp delicious and they both found the movie hilarious.  Robert and Sarah only dated for about a year but as fate would have it they fell in love and were married on April 7, 2006.

Sarah and Robert lived in Wayne for as short time after getting married then moved to Oakland in 2007.  Sarah had two sons from her first marriage, which Robert accepted and cared for as his own.  Sarah and Robert not long after getting married welcomed their first child together.  Robert often told his wife Sarah that he never planned on getting married.  Robert lived his life as a bachelor and enjoyed it, however he also explained to Sarah often times that his married life was just as fulfilling and that he had gotten the best of both worlds.  Sarah and Robert cherished sixteen years of loving and loyal marriage.

When Robert was a boy he enjoyed Motocross, and later as an adult was into Nascar, boating and fishing.  Throughout his life he was also a Boxing fan.  He trained as a boxer in his early twenties and continued to enjoy boxing well into his adult life.  Robert boxed for the Golden Gloves in Newark as a young adult.  Robert also had a fondness of all types of animals, and had cats and dogs as companions throughout his life.  You rarely had a problem with Robert because he always made sure people knew where he stood with them.  He was the kind of guy that you either loved or hated, fortunately many of the people that knew him loved him deeply.  He was a fun person to be around, he was a funny guy with a great sense of humor and quick backhanded wit.  Robert was a devoted husband, father, brother, and son.  He touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew him.

Robert is survived by his wife Sarah (nee Fream) of Oakland, three sons Daniel, Ryan, and Robert, his mother and father Robert and Edythe Scartozzi of Wayne, and his very dear friend (and the brother he never had) James Dob of Wayne.  He was predeceased by his sister Lisa Scartozzi in 2014.

Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider making donations in Robert’s name to Friends of Wayne Animals (FOWA) PO Box 3701, Wayne, NJ 07470.