Robert "Bob" Sylvester

Bob passed away peacefully at Vassar Brothers Medical Center on May 8, 2025 surrounded by his family. Bob was born on October 15, 1956 to Heny and Margaret (Scofield) Sylvester of Beacon. Bob graduated from Beacon High School in 1976 and married his high school sweetheart, Debra "Debbie" Goldsmith on March 18, 1978.
Bob spent his career as an accountant working at various companies, but found his home away from home when he became the Controller at Kensington Publishing Company. Bob worked at Kensington for over twenty years and made many lifelong friends. It was bittersweet when he retired in 2023 to become a full time "Pa" to his grandkids.
Bob was always the life of the party by making jokes, telling funny stories and making friends with almost everyone he came in contact with. He was a lover of history, music, literature, the horse races and so much more. He also knew tons of random knowledge which was excellent for trivia games where he almost always was the winner.
Nothing was more important to Bob than his friends and family. Always ready to lend a helping hand, be a listener, be your cheerleader at a dance recital, sporting event, school concerts, etc. You name it, he would come to lend his support. Being able to spend more time with his family after retirement were the best years of his life.
Bob's humor, laughter, smile and brightness will be greatly missed. He was never one to say goodbye; he would always say "See ya later." Bob's memory and his lighthearted spirit will always be remembered. He's onto his next big adventure and we can't wait to hear all the funny stories when we see you again.
Bob is survived by his wife, Debbie; their four children and their partners, Jeremy Sylvester (Jessica Theiss), Megan Sylvester (Chris Guglielmo), Laura Sylvester-Garrand (Gordon Garrand) and Jen Sylvester (Sean Fallon); his nine grandchildren, Halley Sylvester, Nathaniel Boyle, William Sylvester, Jacob Sylvester, Katherine Sylvester, Skylar Guglielmo, Zachary Fallon, Lyla Garrand and Sawyer Garrand; his sisters, Donna Penney and Mary Ritter (Robert); his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Timothy and Sandra Ludlum; also surviving are many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Margaret Sylvester; brother, Henry Sylvester, Jr.; brother-in-law, Dennis Penney; father-in-law and mother-in-law, William and Hilda (Wolff) Goldsmith.
Family and friends will gather on Tuesday, May 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, 2 Beekman Street, Beacon. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joachim Church, 51 Leonard Street, Beacon. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, 375 Washington Avenue, Beacon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) at www.themmrf.org.
To send a personal condolence please visit www.riverviewbyhalvey.com.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, LLC.