Robert Lawrence Freitas

Rob was born to Irene (LePage) and Victor Freitas in the Bronx, the sixth of seven sons. He passed away at home in New London, New Hampshire, with his wife holding his hand and his stepchildren nearby.

While Rob was young, his family relocated to Rockland County, New York, where Rob lived throughout his school years, graduating from Spring Valley High School in 1970. Rob’s early life was marked by the death of his father when Rob was just seven years old and by his mother’s subsequent determined efforts to provide for her family.

As an adult, Rob lived mostly in Massachusetts, including Martha’s Vineyard, Milton, Marshfield and Leicester. Early on, Rob filled his life with personal and professional escapades and accomplishments. Hitchhiking across the US and Canada back and forth twice. Learning carpentry on Martha’s Vineyard, living at times in a VW camper or a rough cottage. Becoming a respiratory therapist, his first foray into healthcare. Moving by stages through being an Emergency Medical Technician, a paramedic with Boston EMS and a helicopter flight medic.

Rob eventually earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Lesley College. He moved into supervisory roles and went on to become a key leader at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. Along the way, he seized international consulting opportunities in far-flung places such as Armenia, Russia and the Ukraine, and worked on projects for the World Health Organization, all of which led to what he called “the best job in the world,” international emergency medicine consulting with the Harvard Medical Physicians Group. This work took Rob to Denmark, India, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and more, advising governments on improving emergency medical services. For that work, Rob lived in Florence, Italy for several years, which suited his own flamboyant Latin personality, and he became fluent in Italian. Rob retired in 2014, only to be called back for a period of additional independent consulting.

Rob’s mother predeceased him by 25 years, and all but one brother, estranged, have also passed on. Closest to him among his nieces and nephews, Rob leaves Theresa Battiato (husband Felix, children Vincent, whom Rob had the privilege of mentoring into a healthcare professional, Anthony and Francesca), Justine Freitas Gurung (husband Bikash Gurung and daughter Prajna, to whom Rob was Grandpa Robert), and Paul Freitas (wife Nancy and sons Matthew and Nicholas). All are heartbroken to lose their Uncle Rob, a source of joy in their family and their last connection to his generation.

Among the surprises of Rob’s life were falling in love with Karen Zurheide, whom he married in 2016, and discovering in 2019—with no other children—that he had a daughter from a teenage romance, Amy Geller (fiance Jeff Nyhuis, children Maya and Sam), with whom he was privileged to enjoy a special, though brief, relationship. Rob’s stepchildren, Molly Zurheide (husband Julian Keenan, infant son Max) and Andrew Zurheide, along with his father-in-law Bob Johnson, sister-in-law Brenda Johnson, brother-in-law Eric Johnson, and their families also multiplied Rob’s meaningful relationships in his later years.

For a decade, Rob owned a second home in northern Vermont. Partial to the Green Mountains, and even though he had resided for a few years in New Hampshire in the Keene area and in Manchester, he didn’t think he could become equally fond of the Granite State. However, in moving to New London to be with Karen he quickly incorporated himself into the community, giving in many ways and when in need receiving, with the congregation of the Episcopal Church of St. Andrew, with Murray Pond neighbors and with other treasured new friends.

Rob lived life with gusto, whether at work or play. Whatever he took on, he did with all his heart. His passions were many: all things nature, travel, culture, art, music (all genres, especially opera, Afro-Cuban and his own drumming), cars and car-racing, food and wine, reading about these former subjects as well as novels, teaching anyone anything, mentoring young adults, and helping underprivileged children. He loved to cook, making every meal a gourmet creation. And he could fish for hours without end, day after day.

While their marriage was cut short by the prostate cancer first diagnosed in 2011 that progressively diminished Rob’s physical capabilities, in their few years together, Rob and Karen shared much love and many adventures, including wonder-filled travel. Their most memorable achievement as a couple was in 2017, walking 570 miles from France across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela and on to the Atlantic, following the ancient pilgrim “Camino” or way.

Rob was grateful, as is Karen, for the love and support of many, especially during the period of his declining health. Should you wish to honor Rob’s memory, please do so by also practicing joie de vivre and by being a generous giver to others in need, as Rob sought to be. And until such time as a gathering in his memory can happen safely, let us each utter to Rob our personal blessing of Buen Camino!