Known as Robert, Bob, Bobby, Wilbur, Captain, Neighbor, Big Daddy & Ten Foot Six, Bob lived a brief but action packed life full of family, friends, animals & laughter. He was born & raised in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. He built his first home in Deptford, New Jersey to raise his family & moved to Mullica Hill, New Jersey to raise his farm. Bob retired to Florida, living in Bradenton & finally, Clermont. "Livin the dream" was his tagline & that he did.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Denise (Toppi) Wright, his daughter Adara, his three dogs Joanie, Charley & Biscuit & most importantly, his grandson, Baylor. He is preceded in death by his loving granddogs, Wiggles & Winston.

Bob was easily the biggest guy in any room, the funniest, the deepest voice & the center of attention so effortlessly without even trying. The room gravitated towards Bob so naturally. He had no enemies & truly lived his life as one of a kind. He'd turn his harshest critics into adoring friends. He loved to say if you had one good friend in your life, you were lucky… but to every person that he met, Bob was that good friend to you.

In his early days, Bob's first job was working at Electric Factory developing his love for concerts & live music. A veteran, Bob served in the United States Army. Bob joined the oil industry & started working for Louis Nardello Company as a pipe fitter in 1975. During his time there, he met his wife Denise & his lifelong second family, the Wodzisz's (David, Robin, David Anthony & Erin). He spent his professional career growing within Nardello Fuels, serving many different positions such as HVAC installer, fuel oil driver, credit manager, operations manager & COO. Bob & Denise bought the company in 2007, where he served as president and owner until retirement. They then purchased their RV & set off to travel the country before eventually settling in Florida with their daughter. Finding retirement boring, he went to water the flowers at Home Depot & spent the last few months of his life volunteering at Dreamcatcher Horse Rescue, his happy place.

Bob's first priority was his family, yearly vacationing to Disney even though he had a strong distaste for "the mouse." Bob had a passion for all animals, particularly dogs & horses. He loved live music & concerts. He loved his country. He built street rods with his lifelong friend Dom Maiese, both members of the Rollin Rods of South Jersey. He was a master BBQ-er hosting nightly cookouts for all of his neighbors. He loved to find adventure, often with his friend of 50+ years, Frank Kimmel. He was a member of the carnival committee for his daughter's school, St. Margaret's, where the committee members & their families turned into Bob's family. Bob the builder, there was nothing he could not build, he built a home in the mountains & he built his first family home with the help of his best friend, Tommy Geiger & many others. Golfing became a passion later in life founded through his friend, Ron Hughes. Bob was a cheer dad for his daughter's team making sure banners were made, hand warmers were handed out & megaphones were on at 6am. Bob loved the VIP life, limos, prime seating for concerts & sporting events, & always making sure there was an extra ticket for his daughter to bring a friend along. He did everything with his daughter Adara by his side. He was her best friend, a void that will never be filled.

Fiercely protective, he was tough, he was everything terrifying that you would judge him as when you saw his picture. But inside, Bob was the warmest, most giving person that you would ever have the pleasure of knowing. The person you will never forget, the person who always kept you laughing with dark humor & a touch of positivity. Larger than life is a perfect description of how he acted, how he lived & the impact he has left behind. He made everyone feel like family, whether he knew you for a brief moment or a lifelong friend, you felt at home. You had a drink at his table & a Christmas gift under his tree. He tortured you; he'd tell you to turn your hat around, he'd give you a lifelong nickname like Nut, he'd tell you how terrible the food was as he licked his plate…. humor, torture & sarcasm were his love languages & to be roasted by Bob, was to be loved by Bob.

Throughout all of the adventures & wonderful memories in his life, he saved the best for last as Bob spent the last 4 years at his happiest. He found his purpose & lived out his dream with his grandson, Baylor. From the day he found out he was going to be a grandfather, to the day they first looked in each other's eyes, the rest of the world did not matter to either of them. They were each other's worlds, best buddies, Baylor & Papa forever. They did everything together from dawn til dusk when the only person Baylor wanted to lay with was Papa. There was no one he was prouder of or happier with than his boy. Nothing in those full 67 years was more important to Bob than his grandson, and his legacy will be carried on through Baylor.

There will truly ever only be one Bob, the man, the myth, the legend.

Please stop by with your families & join us in remembering and honoring the life of Bob, in the only way he would want, a celeBARation at his favorite local watering hole. He did not want a funeral, he did not want a viewing, but we do know he would want one last beer thirty with his friends and family!
Saturday, June 8th 2024 at 4:30pm
Nipper's Pub
1205 Delsea Dr
Westville, NJ 08093

If you feel so moved, in lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that donations be made to Baylor's future education or to Dreamcatcher Horse Rescue .