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In Memoriam |
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Robert (Bob) Dudajek
Bob loved his life, he loved his family, and he loved his work. Born in 1942 to an immigrant father, and a 1st generation Italian mom, Bob and his brother Joe led a simple life in Newark, NJ. As a boy, trouble was always a short walk away, and with the early death of his mother Margaret, meeting Penny Klein at the Newark “Y” was the best thing to happen to him. He married Penny at 21 years of age, and began quick work at starting a family. They decided to raise their 4 daughters ~ Lorraine, Linda, Denise, and Valerie in East Hanover, a home where Penny still resides. Bob had many friends. Having begun work at the Port Authority of NY and NJ at the tender age of 18, he met some of his dearest friends during those 4 decades of work. While working, Bob attended Newark College of Engineering, and earned a bachelors degree from Adelphi University. His many other friends were made along the way in the organizations and groups Bob participated in ~ He was a founding member of the EH Jaycees; he has been an active member of the EH Volunteer Fire Department for over 40 years; and single handedly organized and ran the EH boys “Pee Wee Basketball” program for over 20 years. Any sports fan out there may recall the great pitching arm Bob had even as recently as 5 years ago… Bob played for the Port Authority’s “World Trade Center” softball team for over two decades, and was a feared player in the local “Men’s over 40” league, playing well into his 60’s. He founded the “East Hanover Girls Softball Association” and volunteered countless hours at both Hanover Park and Whippany Park High Schools helping mold some of the best pitchers in girls HS softball. Bob was an avid fisherman, hunter, and sportsman. His best times were those spent on a field or on a boat with people he truly cared about. When he wasn’t catching fish or throwing a ball around, he would always find something to fix… What he couldn’t fix, he could rig, and many things around his home were a source of comedy for friends and family when they would recognize his creative solutions to problems. Before the big influx of foreign cars, you always knew where you could find Bob – feet sticking out from under one of his daughters’ cars! He was proud to have taught his daughters how to bleed brakes, change oil, change a tire, and work a car radiator!
He took fashion tips from
no one, and would proudly don a sweatband made from a
cutoff pair of baseball pants or go about town in a
greasy coverall. His wardrobe largely consisted of his
many softball jersey’s, Port Authority issued clothing,
or and EH fire department sweatshirts and jackets.
He will be missed dearly
by all those that called him “friend,” and especially so
by his family.
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Robert Dudajek -
Died: Friday August 9, 2013