Robert W. Mackreth

Mackreth - Robert W., aged 100, passed away quietly on October 17, 2023, at his home in Massapequa. A child of the Great Depression and a veteran of the Second World War, he still lived on his own in the house he and his late wife Helen purchased in 1953. Born in Malverne one year after the village was organized, Bob was the son of Arthur R.W. Mackreth and Sally Lambert Mackreth. Bob graduated from Malverne High School. He earned a bachelor's degree at what was then Hofstra College and a Master's in Social Work at Adelphi University, interrupting his education to serve overseas in the U.S. Army during World War II. In a social work career that spanned more than 65 years, Bob's many roles included a term as Director of the N.Y. City Commission for Foster Care of Children, and a private consulting practice that focused on services for the elderly. He maintained this practice well into his nineties. His work as author, educator and mentor earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York State chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Active in his community, Bob served on the Plainedge School District Board of Education, the Hofstra University Alumni Association, and the National Association of Social Workers. He was Senior Warden of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Seaford. Exposed to the realities of segregation during childhood summers at his grandfather's farm in Virginia, he maintained a lifelong commitment to racial equality and took part in a number of community initiatives to foster racial unity. Bob was predeceased by his wife, the former Helen Geraldine Rogan, his parents, and his sister Patrica Andolf. He is survived by his sons, Robert Jr. of Washburn, WI, and William, of Palmer, AK; his daughter Patricia D'Amico of Smithtown; and grandchildren Christopher, Stephen, Christine, and Rosemary. Funeral arrangements will be handled by the William E. Law funeral home in Massapequa.