Robert Charles Radice

ROBERT RADICE LIFE TRIBUTE Radice, Robert C., 88, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, retired president and CEO of Radice Corporation, esteemed community leader and philanthropist, and beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed on January 5, 2014. He passed away quietly and gently in his own home of over 50 years surrounded by his beloved family and friends. Born in New York on December 30, 1925, to Charles and Mary Radice, Bob attended Fork Union Military Academy and Manhattan College School of Business. He worked in his father's successful New York-based company, Radice Realty & Construction Corporation, before moving to Florida in 1956. In 1950 he married his best friend, Teresa Haran, sharing 58 wonderful years together until her passing in 2008. As President of the Radice Corporation, a developer of both residential and commercial properties, Bob's earliest project was Edgewater Arms, the first building erected on the Galt Ocean Mile. This was followed by Fountainhead, Plaza East, and Plaza South. The Radice Corporation's portfolio grew to include projects in fifteen states and forty cities with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, and every project reflected the high standards of its President and senior staff. Well-planned landscaping was a prominent feature of every Radice project, and even the Radice Corporate Center headquarters was home to a bird sanctuary and preserve. Radice Corporation traded on the New York Stock Exchange and was consistently ranked among the nation's top companies. At one time, Forbes ranked Radice Corporation 168th in the nation. Diversification was a key component of the company's success. It had a number of subsidiaries, including Radice Care, one of Bob's most innovative ventures, which was created to serve the needs of the expanding retirement housing market. Bob's energy was boundless and so was his commitment to the local community in which his family resided. At the request of Sister Innocent Hughes of Holy Cross Hospital, Bob led the hospital's first advisory board and in 1966 became its first lay chairman of the Board of Trustees. His talented group of Trustees took what was once a small, three-story facility leading an expansion program firmly establishing Holy Cross Hospital as one of the most profitable and reputable hospitals in the southeastern United States. Sister Innocent once called Bob "Mr. Holy Cross." He was a member of the hospital's board for thirty-seven years. Bob was also a founding board member of Covenant House and co-chaired the capital campaign to build its facility in Fort Lauderdale. He was also board member of the Coral Ridge Yacht Club and served on innumerable committees throughout his long life. The organization that was closest to his heart, however, was the PACE Center for Girls, Broward. Bob spent over 20 years working with PACE, serving on both the state and local boards, petitioning the state for funding to expand its program, and supervising the building of its Broward Center. On the PACE Broward campus stands a building named in his honor- the Robert C. Radice Building. The family is deeply honored that within that building a memorial will be placed depicting the life and love of this remarkable man, including the numerous awards and tributes received over his many years of community service. For over fifty years, Bob Radice was an exemplary citizen of Broward County, embodying the ideals of community leadership and creating viable institutions that will continue to benefit the county's residents for years to come. He was the recipient of numerous honors including in 1997 sharing an honor with his wife, Teresa, receiving the Golden Heart Award from the American Heart Association. Bob was the recipient of the 2005 Liberty Bell Award, presented by the Fort Lauderdale Bar Association and in 2002 received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, one of our country's most prestigious awards. Bob was honored to be a member of the Catholic Church's Knights of Malta and the Young Presidents Organization and the World Business Council. Other honors received include: The National Philanthropy Day Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the PACE Leadership Award. He was a member of The Opera Society, The Fort Lauderdale Symphony Society, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Men's Club, the Navy League, and the American Red Cross. Bob believed that his successes could not have been accomplished without the talents of others nor without the support of his family and the community. Throughout his long career with the Radice Corporation, Bob laid the foundations for many buildings, but his enduring legacy will be those foundations he laid for Holy Cross Hospital, Covenant House, and the PACE Center for Girls. Bob Radice had a big heart and his family, friends, and the community have been blessed by his love, compassion, and desire to do good. Bob will be lovingly remembered by his devoted children; daughter Maribeth Goodman and son-in-law Anthony Goodman; son Robert Radice Jr. and daughter-in-law Patty Radice; his grandchildren Cameron Goodman and Michael Radice; his brother Charles Radice and sister-in-law Alice Radice; his sister-in-law Peggy Butler and brother-in-law Fred Zito along with many nieces, nephews, and friends. Visitation will be Friday, January 17th from 3:00pm - 8:00pm at Baird-Case-Jordan-Fannin Funeral Home, 4343 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308. A funeral mass celebrating Bob's life will be held on Saturday, January 18th , 11:00am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 4595 Bayview Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308. Inurnment will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery, 200 W. Copans Road, Pompano Beach, FL 33064 on Saturday January 25th at 11:00am. Bob and his family have requested that as an alternative to flowers, donations may be made to: -PACE Center for Girls/Broward- Robert C. Radice Memorial Fund- 2225 N. Andrews Avenue, Wilton Manors, FL 33311 (www.pacecenter.org/broward) -Hospice-by-Sea-1200 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 -Covenant House, 733 Breakers Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 -St. John the Baptist Catholic Church- 4595 Bayview Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308