Robert Henry Werner, Jr, died after a brief illness on Sunday, September 6, 2020, in Englewood, Florida. He is survived by his wife Ruth Werner, his three children, Matthew Robert Werner (Michele Whizin), Nancy Ruth Curley (John Curley), and Andrea Grace Morse, two grandchildren, Cecilia and Nicholas, and step-grandkids Kelly, Joey, Nate and Hana. He also has two surviving siblings, his twin Brother Peter Werner, and Sister Eileen George. He was 93 years old. He was known affectionately as Bob, or as Pop Pop by his grandkids. This is being written by his children, so he will be known from here out as Dad.
Dad grew up in Montreal, Canada, naturalized to US citizenship upon coming of age, and spent three years in the US Army Air Force, serving honorably as a Photo Lab Technician in the 10th Photo Tech Unit at the Kadena Air Force Base in Kadena, Okinawa. He worked in the darkroom processing film shot by reconnaissance planes flying over enemy terrain. During his time in the service he was witness to, and was appalled by, the discrimination that Black Americans were subject to.
After discharge from the service in December 1948 he settled in Staten Island, NY, and took his first job at the New York Savings Bank, working his way up to the Real Estate Department. During this period he took night classes to earn his High School diploma, and went on to study Real Estate and Insurance at Pace College.
After eight years with the bank, he was offered a position with the Equitable Life Assurance Society as a Real Estate Appraiser. Around this time he was about to marry Ruth Helen Bock, and the two of them moved to Clarksburg, West Virginia. He remained in this position for about 18 months, at which time a slowing economy led to another change.
Ruth’s father ran an independent insurance agency back in Staten Island, eponymously named The Bock Agency. Dad was offered a position selling insurance and real estate. Their first-born Matthew had arrived during their West Virginia sojourn, and we imagine the grandparents were eager to have their grandchild living closer to home. Dad eventually took over his father-in-law’s business, the business thrived, and Dad was able to retire in 1983, selling the business and moving to Venice, FL with Ruth. There he enjoyed gardening, fishing, and bowling as pastimes.
Dad devoted much of his retirement years to helping others. An interest in working with children led him to volunteer with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, mentoring multiple young men and women, several of whom stayed in touch for many years after they left the program. He and Ruth also volunteered as puppy raisers for the Southeastern Guide Dog school in Bradenton, FL, raising eight puppies, six of whom went on to become guides for handicapped individuals, and one who went into the breeding program. After hurricane Katrina devastated Mississippi in 2005, Dad traveled to Biloxi to help. The group he worked with cleaned out and converted a damaged church into a relief warehouse. In later years he volunteered as a driver for the FISH program.
Dad was an active fund-raiser for the charitable organizations he was involved with. In later years he took up carving and making small model boats. He also wrote four small volumes, the first two of which
were autobiographical, and which he offered freely to anyone interested in return for a suggested
donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.
His first volume, titled “Time Out,” closed with this thought:
“Every once in a while my thoughts turn back to the time I received an early evening telephone
call at home approximately 40 years ago. The call came in from Toronto, Ontario and it was from
Mrs. Yuhl (she and her family had provided me with room and board in their home when they
lived in Montreal, a place I found solace at a time of great upheaval in my life.) As I recall she
asked me plaintively for financial help, her family situation going through some difficult times.
“All I gave her was lip service.
“I might argue now that we were just scraping by ourselves. That we had several financial
obligations to the max. That little extra funds were available. But that is not the way to treat
someone, especially one who was there for you in your time of need.
“I guess what I'm trying to say is to be ever mindful of your fellow man. Although you may
subsequently have an opportunity to redeem yourself through assisting others, it won't
guarantee that you'll no longer have this disturbing recurring memory.”
Dad was a man who looked for the good in other people. Maybe the best way to express that is to quote
the words of his first Little Brother Paul. The two first met when Paul was eight years old, and they
stayed in touch for years after. Paul wrote in an essay:
“Bob taught me to be a good person and how to have a good work ethic. I remember a time
when we would wash cars, then take the money and buy flowers for the elderly women that
lived in nursing homes. Bob’s generosity of spirit touched the hearts of so many people. He was
my role model, friend, and like a father to me. He was always first to do something nice for a
person, and he always found the good in people. I hope in your life you get to meet someone
like him. I was fortunate to meet such a first class individual.”
May we all take his example to heart. Rest in peace Dad, we love you.
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