Robert " Bob" Sugrue

Robert “Bob” Sugrue, 78, of Scotch Plains, New Jersey passed away peacefully on Friday, November 15, 2024 after a long battle with blood cancer. 

Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 19th from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at the Rossi Funeral Home in Scotch Plains. 

A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 10:00am at Scotch Plains’ Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.  Interment will follow at St. Gertrude Cemetery in Woodbridge. 

Bob is predeceased by his parents Edna and William and by his brother William. He is survived by Rosemary, his loving wife of 56 years; his two sons Robert (Karen) and Michael (Danielle); his four granddaughters Emma, Julia, Madison, and Caitlin; his dear sister-in-law Joan Milasunas; and his close friend and co-grandfather John Zmyslowski.

Bob Sugrue was born on January 28, 1946 in Bayonne, NJ.  While a student at Bayonne High School, he met a girl from a local catholic high school named Rosemary.  He immediately realized and later stated (repeatedly) that, “she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

Bob and Rosemary began dating and were together constantly until he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  He chose the Marine Corps in anticipation of being drafted into another branch and with the belief that USMC training would increase his chances of returning home to his future wife.

His instincts proved correct and Bob did in fact return home to Rosemary after being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.

Wasting little time, he proposed to Rosemary and they were married in 1968.  He began what became a long career in the motor freight industry while simultaneously attending night school at (then) Saint Peter’s College.  Bob and Rosemary went on to have two sons and (to both of their delight) four granddaughters.

As they segued into retirement, Bob and Rosemary moved to Scotch Plains in 2006 and Bob became an active member of American Legion Post 209.

He loved spending time with his grandchildren and loudly made his presence known in the stands at all their activities. 

Bob was a lifelong sports fan who loved nothing more than watching his granddaughters’ lacrosse games, soccer matches and track meets.  Bob was NOT a lifelong dance fan yet never missed a certain dancer’s recitals.

He loved tennis and golf which he played often, well into his seventies.  He was a voracious reader who particularly enjoyed United States history and current events.  Bob also loved to sing and would never pass up an opportunity to give his take on a Sinatra classic or two. 

But his greatest love- without any doubt- was his wife Rosemary, whose constant and meticulous care postponed this obituary for a long time.

Donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation (t2t.org).