Born in Gyor, Hungary to the late Vilma (Nagy) Benedek and Jozsef Benedek, the family fled to the United States and settled in the Boston area when Bob, as a young teenager, was involved as a freedom fighter in his hometown in Hungary. Bob excelled in school and as a young man, caught the attention of his bosses at Bethlehem Steel, who sent him on a full scholarship to MIT. His MIT education in electrical engineering and his abilities to manage people and raw materials led to a lifetime career as a quality engineer/quality manager, traveling and working for several large companies. He eventually relocated to the Clearwater, Florida area where he worked for Sperry Rand making the radar systems for the US Navy.
Bob had a special soft-spot in his heart for his recent little grandchildren: Sage, Owen, Jackson & Delilah. “Papa Bob” could get down to their level and play with the little ones, tossing a ball and refereeing the older ones in the side yard. He was a very good host at “family dinner night” and at many family holidays in their home. Bob was a triathlete, competing in many marathons as a younger and middle-aged man and enjoyed the gym and walking in his Dartmouth neighborhood as an older man, stopping to talk to anyone in the neighborhood. Bob always enjoyed a good party, dining at really nice restaurants, golf, old cars, old and new movies and was a New England Patriots, Boston Celtic and diehard Boston Red Sox fan. Bob had an affinity for travel, taking many exciting trips throughout Europe and the United States in his lifetime. One of the highlights was as a young man he and his 2 buddies took a months-long road trip in his beat-up old station wagon throughout the United States, stopping to work as waiters, field workers, etc to pay for their gas, food and lodging…eventually making it to their destiny of Haight-Ashbury in California where their favorite rock bands played.
Bob leaves his wife, Susan Desrosiers DeAraujo Benedek, of 11 years, his brother Peter Benedek and wife Jane of Melborne, Florida, his son, Tom Goding and companion, Michelle of Lake Havasu, Arizona, daughter, Anne Scanlon of Lowell, 8 grandchildren, 3 stepchildren: Nathan DeAraujo and wife Louisa of Los Vegas, Nevada, Adam DeAraujo of New Bedford, Lilia (DeAraujo) Dellecese and husband Eddie of Dartmouth, 4 step grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, other stepchildren and step grandchildren.
Many thanks to the Southcoast Visiting Nurse Association/Hospice for their caring and expert care during Bob's brief illness.
Bob’s celebration of life and his burial will be private. Contributions in his honor may be made to “Make-A-Wish-Foundation”, www.wish.org , which was important to Bob.
Private arrangements are in the care of WARING-SULLIVAN HOME AT DARTMOUTH. www.waring-sullivan.com
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