Robert Whetham

Robert “Bob” John Whetham, age 87 of Wayne, passed Saturday, October 15, 2022.

He was born in Paterson to Paul and Stella Whetham.  Bob was raised in Hawthorne and graduated from Hawthorne High School, where he played on the basketball and football teams, with the Class of 1953.

After high school Bob worked for Public Service Electric & Gas and shortly thereafter enlisted in the United States Army.  He served during the Korean war and was stationed in Guam for eighteen months on a demolition team.  When he returned from his service with the Army, he continued his employment with PSE&G.  He worked his way up through the ranks at PSE&G from working a service truck to becoming a supervisor. He retired from PSE&G in 1993 after 42 years of service.

Bob met the love of his life Marilyn Breen while on a blind date. They fell in love and Bob proposed to Marilyn at St. Anthony’s Church in Hawthorne.  They married at St.Anthony’s on September 6, 1958 and honeymooned in Florida.  They just celebrated sixty-four years of a loving and devoted marriage that was blessed with three children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Bob enjoyed golfing with his wife Marilyn and they have played all over with several other couples. He has also been a member of a Hawthorne High School Alumni group who went by the name “Joe’s Boys” and even had jackets with the name on them. This group was named after Joe’s Luncheonette in Hawthorne where they would all hang out during their high school days. This group has remained tight knit over many years. Bob was also a member of the Golden Age Circle of Wayne where he and Marilyn enjoyed many friendships.

Bob will be remembered for being very social, always laughing and telling jokes, and his happy-go-lucky personality.  He was dedicated to his Catholic faith and through the years he has been a parishioner of St Anthony’s Church in Hawthorne, Our Lady of Consolation Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church both in Wayne, and Holy Spirit Church in Pequannock.

Bob was the loving husband of Marilyn (nee Breen) Whetham; devoted father of Brian Whetham of North Haledon, Laurie Dubinsky and her husband Curtis of Hummelstown, PA, and Karen Arnott of Wayne and her late husband Russell (d. 2011).; he was the devoted grandfather of Robert and Brian Whetham, Eric and Laura (Shawn) Johnson, Amanda (Kyle) Kelly and Ryerson (Jennifer) Arnott; he was also the cherished great-grandfather of Rae, Owen, Wyatt, Greyson, Harper, and Rome. Bob was predeceased by his loving brother Paul Whetham.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 would be appreciated.