Robert of Saddle Brook joined his beloved "Moms" in eternal rest on Friday after a lengthy illness. His remarkable life took him from hobo to corporate executive. As a child in the 1930's, he "rode the rails" across the U.S. with stops in Boy's Town and other institutions until shipping out at age 14 as cabin boy on various freighters. While traveling the world he spent time in a Japanese prison for jumping ship and developed malaria while in the jungles of Panama. Back in America, he lied about his age and joined the famed Canadian Black Watch at age 17. During the battle of Normandy, he was one of 23 survivors in a battalion which numbered 1000. He was wounded and captured by the Germans. He escaped, was recaptured and sent to Dresden during the fire bombings as was told in the novel Slaughterhouse 5. He took advantage of the Canadian GI Bill, graduating from McGill University with a degree in economics. While in Montreal, he met and married his beloved Mary. He returned to the US in 1951 taking an accounting job with Allied Stores rising through the ranks and becoming the General Manager of the Bergen Mall. His proudest achievement as Mall manager was the conception and operation of the Playhouse on the Mall with his friend the late author, Robert Ludlum. He went on to become President of real estate for Allied Stores/Federated Department Stores, planning and opening shopping malls across the country. He retired in 1986 to devote his time to his adoring family.
Robert of Saddle Brook joined his beloved "Moms" in eternal rest on Friday after a lengthy illness. His remarkable life took him from hobo to corporate executive. As a child in the 1930's, he "rode the rails" across the U.S. with stops in Boy's Town and other institutions until shipping out at age 14 as cabin boy on various freighters. While traveling the world he spent time in a Japanese prison for jumping ship and developed malaria while in the jungles of Panama. Back in America, he lied about his age and joined the famed Canadian Black Watch at age 17. During the battle of Normandy, he was one of 23 survivors in a battalion which numbered 1000. He was wounded and captured by the Germans. He escaped, was recaptured and sent to Dresden during the fire bombings as was told in the novel Slaughterhouse 5. He took advantage of the Canadian GI Bill, graduating from McGill University with a degree in economics. While in Montreal, he met and married his beloved Mary. He returned to the US in 1951 taking an accounting job with Allied Stores rising through the ranks and becoming the General Manager of the Bergen Mall. His proudest achievement as Mall manager was the conception and operation of the Playhouse on the Mall with his friend the late author, Robert Ludlum. He went on to become President of real estate for Allied Stores/Federated Department Stores, planning and opening shopping malls across the country. He retired in 1986 to devote his time to his adoring family.
Gravesite Details
h/o Mary Ann (Mac Kinnon) De Berry
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