Obituary: Robert William Rescigno, of Shelter Island, Dies at 82

Info via DeFriest Grattan Funeral Home

Robert (Bob) William Rescigno passed away at his home on Shelter Island on July 23, 2015. He was 82.

Over the past 18-years he has battled four difference cancers and a triple bypass heart surgery before he chose to forego further treatment when doctors told him his cancer had returned and was inoperable.

Bob was born in Manhattan in April 1933 to parents, Alphonse and Florence Rescigno.

He was a track star, gymnast and bodybuilder in high school.

He almost had to repeat boot camp, when he quit school at age 17 to join the Navy, and didn’t improve on physical fitness tests after training because he was in peak condition upon entry.

During the Korean conflict Bob served on the aircraft carrier, Oriskany, the first ship to carry a live atomic bomb.

He attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer and, when not on duty, always had his movie and still cameras with him to record his travels around the world.

The films he sent home were watched by friends and neighbors many times over the years and were finally transferred to DVD by his son Richard and narrated by Bob.

He earned his G.E.D. and went to work for the New York City Board of Education, starting out as a cleaner and working his way up the ranks until he was the stationary operating engineer of the fifth largest high school in the United States, the largest in the city.

After a career that lasted 33 years, he retired and moved from Dix Hills, to Shelter Island with his wife, Janet, so he could live next door to his daughter and son-in-law who were long-time residents.

He and Janet quickly became integral members of the community, both working as volunteers for various organizations and activities at the Senior Center and the American Legion, among others.

During the years Bob served as a chaplain, financial officer and vice commander of Mitchell Post #281 and helped broker the deal to turn over the upper part of the Legion building to the town, to be used as a youth center.

He ran the senior bowling program downstairs, was often at work in the kitchen at Legion dinners, and also helped host a lively weekly poker game at the Senior Center.

Janet and Bob were proclaimed Volunteers of the Year in 2010 and they both continued their volunteer efforts right up until a few weeks before his death.

When Bob wasn’t busy with his volunteer work or maintaining his home and property, he loved working on his model trains, gardening, boating and fishing.

He was also a talented artist, filling his home with his oil and acrylic paintings, crewel embroidery pieces, hand-tinted photographs he did in his early years and beautifully crafted wooden clocks, bird houses and planter boxes.

In addition to his wife of 59 years, Bob is survived by his daughter Robin and son-in-law Bennett Karnis, of Shelter Island; his son Richard and his wife Barbara and their daughter Nicole of Tobyhana, Pennsylvania; and daughter Michelle of New York City; and his son Ronald and his wife Yousy and their daughter Janessa of Middletown, Delaware and their son Anthony of Lake Grove, New York.

He is also survived by his younger brothers Ronald and Arthur and in-laws Valerie and Cookie Rescigno, Christine Bullis, Pat Willers, Betty and Steve Vannata, Geri and Brian Hassard and many nieces, nephews, cousins and aunts.

He is predeceased by his brother Paul.

There will be no funeral or memorial services, as were his wishes.

A party will be held, on Shelter Island, to celebrate his life, sometime in the future.

Bob has requested that in lieu of flowers or gift baskets, friends and family could donate to East End Hospice: 481 County Road 31, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.