Robert A. Katz

Robert Alan Katz, of Stowe, Vermont, passed away peacefully on December 12, 2024, with his wife of 70 years, Joan Diane (Aronsohn) Katz, by his side. Bob was a wonderful husband, father, brother, son, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and friend to many.
Bob was born on March 13, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY to Benjamin and Helen Katz (née Kaminsky), twenty months younger than brother Monroe. Bob was raised in Nyack, NY, where the family founded Rockland Leather Goods and was deeply connected to the local community. Bob grew up on Franklin Street in the shade of Nyack High School (graduated in 1951) where he played basketball and was the President of the Student Government Organization. He was voted "snappiest dresser" by his fellow students and remained very active with his Nyack High School Class by helping to organize class reunions for over 60 years.
Bob met Joan at Dellwood Country Club in New City, NY when he was 15 and she was 14 and began a love story for the ages. They were wed in August of 1954 and recently celebrated 70 years of marriage.
Bob attended the University of Vermont, graduating in 1955. He was a brother at Phi Sigma Delta Fraternity where he developed many friendships that lasted a lifetime. He was an active alum and attended reunions well into his 80s. It was at UVM where Bob developed his passion for skiing that he would pass on to his children and grandchildren.
Bob enrolled in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and after graduation served as a first lieutenant in the US Army while stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia and Ft. Devons, Massachusetts. It was while in the Army that their first child, Peter was born in 1956, followed by Bruce, Andrew and Wendy.
After his discharge, Bob began working alongside his dad at Rockland Leather Goods and he and Joan purchased their first home in New City, NY. He always made family time a priority. Whether it was backyard football, basketball games, Sunday hikes (except if there was a Giant game on), or dinner with the grandparents, family time mattered. But he always said that it was the drives to and from Stowe Vermont for ski weekends, locked together in a car for 6 hours with his children's undivided attention, that he cherished most.
Bob was a founding member of New City Jewish Center and later, after retiring to Vermont, was also a founding member of the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe, where he was its Treasurer for many years.
Bob skied well into his eighties along with other octogenarians as part of the "Dawn Patrol. He enjoyed tennis with his wife and friends at the Stowe Tennis Club. Bob was well known in the community, always finding time to chat with locals doing their job, at the grocery store, the transfer station, the gym or mowing his lawn.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Helen. He is survived by his wife, Joan, brother Monroe, children Peter (Jennifer), Bruce (Debora), Andrew (Sherry) and Wendy (Nick), his 10 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, loving nieces and nephews, and countless cousins.
There will be a private family service and burial in Stowe this week and a celebration of Bob's life at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The University of Vermont Health Network (Home Health and Hospice).