Robert W. Szeigis

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Manasquan, New Jersey

Robert Szeigis Obituary

Robert W. Szeigis

Wall - Robert W. Szeigis, 73 of Wall passed away peacefully at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. Robert was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ and was a graduate of Snyder HS. After high school, Robert entered the US Army and served during the Vietnam War. After his military service, Robert worked for Colgate-Palmolive before he began his 25-year career with Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a car inspector for the PATH system. Robert retired in 2012 and enjoyed his daily routine of going to the Atlantic Club. He was proud of his Jersey City roots, passionate about sports, and enjoyed his time at the beach. He loved spending time with his family, especially hanging by the pool in the summertime.

Robert was predeceased by his parents William Gargiulo and Mary Cochrane. He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years Susan (nee Hanlon) Szeigis of Wall; his three loving daughters Suzanne Vetrano and her husband Nicholas, Stephanie Prol and her husband Timothy, and Sharon Szeigis all of Wall. Robert was the cherished grandfather of Nicholas Robert and Michael Nunzio Vetrano and Ella Prol.

Arrangements are under the care of Orender Family Home for Funerals, Manasquan. Cremation will be private and there will be a memorial Mass of Christian Burial at a later date. To send condolences to the family please visit www.orenderfamilyhome.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Asbury Park Press from May 10 to May 11, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Szeigis

Sponsored by Orender Family Home.

4 Entries

Nick Micucci

May 14, 2020

Dear Susan, the Szeigis family and all those who loved Bobby. I got to know him during those unforgettable years at Ege & West Side. Those days were filled with football, basketball, box ball / stick ball, hanging out, goofing on each other and mostly laughing. I loved his laugh, his face would light up as he delivered a one-liner directed at any one of us. It was always good natured. If you were the butt of the joke you laughed even harder. I thank God that we reconnected with six /seven years ago. It was just like we picked up where we left off over 50 years or so. Bobby did not have a mean bone in his body, He was a joy to be around.
Love, Nick Micucci

May 13, 2020

I lived up the street on Virginia Ave just next to the Verdoni's . Ron Riccio was correct that Ratsy [my mother wouldn't let me call him that ] together with jimmy Sutcliffe ran the playground .You can't even imagine the crazy things that went on there. I not only saw Ratsy kick a football onto West Side Ave .I saw him kick it OVER the church across the street.
Ratsy was a character but a tremendously good character .

I am sincerely sorry for his passing.

Bill Flaherty .Point Pleasant

Ronald Riccio

May 11, 2020

Dear Susan and the Szeigis Family: Nina and I were heartbroken to learn of Robert's passing. He was our dear friend for more than 65 years. We regret that due to the current Covid crisis we cannot pay our respects and offer our condolences to you and your family in person.
As you well know, to me and many others growing up in Jersey City Robert was affectionately known as Ratsy. It was a label of endearment. From our grammar school days at O.L.V. until the last time we were together at Nina's father's 100th birthday celebration he was always Rats to me and I Ace to him.
Whenever we were together it was as if time stood still. He was forever young, always filled with his usual antics and hilarious stories. Being with and around him was a special treat and, in retrospect, a true privilege .
Growing up Rats was a fixture at the Ege Avenue Schoolyard. It was a meeting place so diverse that it often resembled a United Nations General Assembly meeting. Ratsy was the heart and soul of the Schoolyard. Everybody wanted to be with and around him. I can't count the number of times I'd hear someone ask "Where's Rats?", "Anybody see Rats?". He was special.
Athletically Rats was as graceful as a gazelle. I can still see him in my mind's eye grabbing a rebound, making a deft pass, or drilling a soft left handed jumper. Whatever sport he tried he was as good or better than anyone. If it was swinging a bat it was smooth as silk. Punting a football always went over the fence and on to West Side Avenue, even though he didn't even seem to be trying. He was a natural athlete.
In our later years he would occasionally visit me when I was Dean at Seton Hall Law School. He would announce himself to building security as Rats here to see Ace. A few times he was accompanied by his sidekick, Moon Pilot Darby. As only he could, Rats and the Moon Pilot would regale the staff at the Law School with Jersey City stories. They could have taken their show on the road and played to packed houses.
From time to time we would meet by chance at Newark Penn Station and ride the train together to the shore. Lumps Lundberg would sometimes be our ticket checker. Of course, Rats and I would sit together. Lumps essentially stopped working when he saw us. I would usually begin the ride by telling Rats I had some work to do; no talking. That admonition lasted about a minute. For the remainder of the ride home it was one laugh after another. On occasion I missed my stop in Little Silver due to fits of laughter.
Most of the time Rats' ride home was merely ending the first shift of his job as a railroad inspector. He would go home, eat dinner, and take the train back to Newark to work the second shift. He did it because he had a tremendous love for Susan and his kids. Nobody worked harder than him.
I marveled at his devotion to his family. All the more so because I knew that he had a difficult childhood of his own.
Rats was a really, really good person. He had a strong faith in God. His faith was, for him, a way of life.
The world is a better place because he lived in it. And those of us who were fortunate to know him are better persons because we knew him.
Rats: Your life was a life well lived. Rest in peace my good friend. I'll miss you. Ace

Larry Mullane

May 11, 2020

To Susan and the Szeigis Family. May Bob rest in eternal peace. He was a great guy and a friend always.

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