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Services
The family will receive friends and loved ones at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday October 24, 2016 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin in the funeral home at 10:00 AM.
Robert Henry Nagel. long-time owner of North Jersey landmark Nagel’s Candy Barn in Wayne and Randolph, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 17, 2016. He was 88.
Born and raised in West New York, Bob had been a resident of Wayne since 1960.
Soon after graduation from Memorial High School in West New York, NJ, Bob joined the family candy business which was started by his father Harry Nagel in 1921. Growing up, Bob always liked to work in the business. While in high school shop class, he even designed and produced a machine that would make the molds for the many candies the store would sell when he came to work alongside his dad, full-time in 1948. At that time, Nagel’s had just this one location in West New York, NJ where they made and sold all the chocolate. Then, in 1960, a second store was opened in the, then, quiet little up-and-coming town of Wayne on Route 23. Later on, in 1973, a new factory and store was started in Randolph.
While concurrently serving as a proud member of the U.S. National Guard Reserve, Bob remained involved in every facet of the business from design and production of the molds that made the chocolate, procurement of other molds from as far away as Germany, maintenance of the machines – sometimes when necessary, fixing them with duct tape and wire – as well as the more artistic work of the business. He always had a great eye for objects and shapes that would make interesting chocolate creations. His kids even said that some of their bath toys gave Dad great ideas.
Bob especially loved chatting with his loyal customers who would return year-after-year to purchase their candy for their favorite valentine, or for their children on Easter and Christmas. During those busy holiday seasons, Bob’s family would typically only see him on Sundays. The stores were always decorated with displays as great as the great taste of the Nagel customers’ favorites like truffles, butter-crunch, almond bark, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter cups and caramel sticks, just to name a few. So great was the stores’ following, they never needed a website and customers always knew that all sales were cash only.
Although a nurse by profession, Bob’s beloved wife Emma put a lot of hours in the store and his children worked there in high school and his grandchildren loved to visit and spend time working in the store too. It was a real family affair!
Bob loved his work so much that he never really retired. It was a car accident in March 2015, while on his way to work, that finally ended his career. The stores closed soon after but not until his faithful staff rose to the occasion of insuring that those loyal customers got their Easter candy that last year.
Bob originally met the love of his life Emma Rhodes at the Columbia Skating Rink in West New York, NJ when they were both just thirteen years old. They began dating in High School and their first date was out for a hot dog at Rutt’s Hutt. They married in 1953 on Bob’s birthday because he figured, that way, he would never forget his anniversary. After a honeymoon that took them on a cross-country trip to visit family and many great destinations, the newlyweds moved into the apartment above the candy store in West New York, NJ.
Summers were always the quietest times for Nagel’s Candy Barn so the store was usually closed all of July and sometimes part of August. This typically was the perfect time for Bob and Emma to travel and, especially later in life, they had the privilege of traveling all over the world including to South American, Hawaii, Thailand, China, Australia, Russia, throughout Europe and also to Bermuda.
Bob always considered his family his most treasured blessing. Before his children were even born, he would spend his spare time tinkering with a home he was building in Pennsylvania on Lake Wallenpaupack. His family has fond memories of summers spent there, being together and sailing and water skiing.
Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 64years, Emma: his son: Robert H. Nagel and partner Eric Chan of Sydney, Australia; two daughters: Nancy Nagel Lee and husband Philip of Potomac, MD, and Janet Scheel and husband Paul of Ellicott City, MD; six grandchildren: Ian, Noah, Zoe, Tess, Paul and Amy; and one brother: Theodore Nagel and wife Judy of Minneapolis, MN. He was predeceased by his brother Harry Nagel in 2016.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Robert’s name are asked to consider Shriners Hospital for Children, 3551 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140 or at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
The family will receive friends and loved ones at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday October 24, 2016 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin in the funeral home at 10:00 AM.
Services
The family will receive friends and loved ones at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Monday October 24, 2016 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. A Funeral Service will immediately follow visitation and begin in the funeral home at 10:00 AM.
Robert Henry Nagel. long-time owner of North Jersey landmark Nagel’s Candy Barn in Wayne and Randolph, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 17, 2016. He was 88.
Born and raised in West New York, Bob had been a resident of Wayne since 1960.
Soon after graduation from Memorial High School in West New York, NJ, Bob joined the family candy business which was started by his father Harry Nagel in 1921. Growing up, Bob always liked to work in the business. While in high school shop class, he even designed and produced a machine that would make the molds for the many candies the store would sell when he came to work alongside his dad, full-time in 1948. At that time, Nagel’s had just this one location in West New York, NJ where they made and sold all the chocolate. Then, in 1960, a second store was opened in the, then, quiet little up-and-coming town of Wayne on Route 23. Later on, in 1973, a new factory and store was started in Randolph.
While concurrently serving as a proud member of the U.S. National Guard Reserve, Bob remained involved in every facet of the business from design and production of the molds that made the chocolate, procurement of other molds from as far away as Germany, maintenance of the machines – sometimes when necessary, fixing them with duct tape and wire – as well as the more artistic work of the business. He always had a great eye for objects and shapes that would make interesting chocolate creations. His kids even said that some of their bath toys gave Dad great ideas.
Bob especially loved chatting with his loyal customers who would return year-after-year to purchase their candy for their favorite valentine, or for their children on Easter and Christmas. During those busy holiday seasons, Bob’s family would typically only see him on Sundays. The stores were always decorated with displays as great as the great taste of the Nagel customers’ favorites like truffles, butter-crunch, almond bark, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter cups and caramel sticks, just to name a few. So great was the stores’ following, they never needed a website and customers always knew that all sales were cash only.
Although a nurse by profession, Bob’s beloved wife Emma put a lot of hours in the store and his children worked there in high school and his grandchildren loved to visit and spend time working in the store too. It was a real family affair!
Bob loved his work so much that he never really retired. It was a car accident in March 2015, while on his way to work, that finally ended his career. The stores closed soon after but not until his faithful staff rose to the occasion of insuring that those loyal customers got their Easter candy that last year.
Bob originally met the love of his life Emma Rhodes at the Columbia Skating Rink in West New York, NJ when they were both just thirteen years old. They began dating in High School and their first date was out for a hot dog at Rutt’s Hutt. They married in 1953 on Bob’s birthday because he figured, that way, he would never forget his anniversary. After a honeymoon that took them on a cross-country trip to visit family and many great destinations, the newlyweds moved into the apartment above the candy store in West New York, NJ.
Summers were always the quietest times for Nagel’s Candy Barn so the store was usually closed all of July and sometimes part of August. This typically was the perfect time for Bob and Emma to travel and, especially later in life, they had the privilege of traveling all over the world including to South American, Hawaii, Thailand, China, Australia, Russia, throughout Europe and also to Bermuda.
Bob always considered his family his most treasured blessing. Before his children were even born, he would spend his spare time tinkering with a home he was building in Pennsylvania on Lake Wallenpaupack. His family has fond memories of summers spent there, being together and sailing and water skiing.
Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 64years, Emma: his son: Robert H. Nagel and partner Eric Chan of Sydney, Australia; two daughters: Nancy Nagel Lee and husband Philip of Potomac, MD, and Janet Scheel and husband Paul of Ellicott City, MD; six grandchildren: Ian, Noah, Zoe, Tess, Paul and Amy; and one brother: Theodore Nagel and wife Judy of Minneapolis, MN. He was predeceased by his brother Harry Nagel in 2016.
In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Robert’s name are asked to consider Shriners Hospital for Children, 3551 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140 or at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
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