Robert Lamping

Robert “Bob” Lamping, age 77, of Haledon for over forty years, passed Saturday, January 8, 2022

He was born in Paterson to William and Antoinette Lamping and graduated from Passaic County Technical High School in Paterson.  After high school he found work training as a butcher at the Shop Rite grocery store in Paterson.   He was soon drafted in the US Army and served during the Vietnam War having served much of his time in Korea. He was honorably discharged from the US Army on April 4, 1968.

After returning from the military he again pursued a career as a butcher. He worked at the Grand Union stores in Clifton and Denville, for the A&P grocery stores in New York State, West Milford, and retired from the A&P store on Valley Road in Wayne in 2012. Bob wasn’t the kind of guy who could sit still so he again worked as a butcher at the Valley Road A&P store part-time for a short while before he just couldn’t do it physically anymore.

Bob was known for buying cars, using and refurbishing them, to eventually sell them.  He did this with over three hundred cars over the years. Several of these cars were stolen from him while he was working at the Clifton store.  One Maple Red Cadillac was stolen immediately after he had it painted and had a new vinyl roof was installed. He bought and sold so many cars that his wife Linda eventually refused to go to the DMV anymore. In regards to the automobile side of his life he enjoyed hanging out with his buddy Chino at the Grand Motor Sales in Paterson.

Bob met Linda Lucenti while they were hanging out with friends at the Great Falls Overlook in Paterson.  Their first official date was a trip to the Jersey Shore.  Linda was nervous to the point that she asked if her friend Pat could come along.  They would soon fall in love with Bob proposing marriage where he was most comfortable – in a car. They married at Saint Anthony’s Church in Paterson on March 2, 1968 and had a reception at the Tree Tavern Restaurant in Paterson. They really had no money for a honeymoon and spent their honeymoon night at their apartment in the Redwood Village Apartments in Paterson. Bob and Linda had a loving and devoted marriage during which Linda can’t remember Bob telling her “no” to anything she wanted. When she found a home to buy she asked him to look at it and he said “if you like it – buy it.”  His children also remember him never saying no – even when it came to borrowing money to go out with friends. The only thing you really wanted to avoid with Bob was waking him up.  When he was awoken he would flail his arms so hard you were bound to be injured.  It is because of this the kids often asked Linda to please wake him.  She was adept at nudging him awake and swiftly engineering her way out of his reach. Bob and Linda had over fifty years of marriage that was blessed with three children: Robert Lamping, Jr., Peter Lamping, and Jennifer Lamping-Nicosia.

Bob will be remembered for his funny demeanor, being social and personable, and making up his own words for all kinds of things. He had a great sense of humor and loved watching shows like: The Honeymooners, Three Stooges, Benny Hill, Amos and Andy, and Married with children. He had a habit of always and relentlessly tapping the kitchen table while having his morning coffee or the steering wheel while driving.  Most of all he will be remembered as a loving husband, devoted father, and cherished grandfather.

Bob was the loving husband of Linda; devoted father of Robert Lamping, Jr. of Haledon, Peter Lamping of Haledon, and Jennifer Lamping-Nicosia; he was the cherished grandfather of Gianna, Sergio, Stefano, and Gabriella Nicosia.