Robert Anthony DiChiara Sr.

July 29, 1926 – February 29, 2020

Robert A. DiChiara was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was the son of Anthony DiChiara and Mary Lucille Corriero. He attended P.S. 208. Robert was a track star at Midwood High School and a member of the Leaders Club. He was a four year member of the Midwood High School Chorus as well as, in his senior year, the New York All City Choir.

Robert volunteered for the U.S. Navy in World War II, and served as a Signalman on the ammunition ship U.S.S. Red Oak Victory. Launched in 1944, it carried 4,000 tons of explosives. It served in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and supplied ammunition for Okinawa and Iwo Jima.

The Red Oak was the last Victory ship of 746 ships of its class built by Kaiser in Richmond, CA. By an act of congress, it was deeded to the Richmond Museum of History for posterity in 1998 and completely refurbished by volunteers through 2019. Berthed in San Francisco Bay, she will carry visitors sightseeing. Her mission is to support the museum. In 2016, Robert A. DiChiara Sm3/c became the last survivor. On Veteran’s Day in 2016 he was the featured speaker at the Red Oak Victory and museum at the dedication that was attended by over 500 people.

In 1946 he entered the American University in Washington, D.C., became Vice President of his freshman class in 1946, President of the student body in 1950, Captain of the Cheerleading team, and was a member of the ATO fraternity. He was awarded a Gold Key at the 1950 graduation ceremony for “Outstanding Service to the American University.” He, with the help of staff, organized the first American University Alumni Association in N.Y. City.

In 1950, Robert joined the Wall Street brokerage firm of Hornblower & Weeks, 40 Wall St. in N.Y. City. as a trainee. In those days H & W only accepted students from Ivy League colleges who majored in math and finance. Coming from American University with only a BA degree, he applied and was accepted at the N.Y. Institute of Finance. Graduation from the Institute was followed by a three hour proctored examination. He became the first and only student to ever score a record 100%, and that secured his brokerage license. He became an assistant to a senior partner for 3 years and then branched out on his own successful career.

In 1951 he married his American University college sweetheart, Joyce Sica, the daughter of Louis and Dorothy Sica, at the main altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. It was followed by a reception at the beautiful Ambassador Hotel on Park Avenue, and the honeymoon was at the old Lake Placid Club. They were married for 68 years.

Their home, for the next 2 years, was a beautiful apartment in Forest Hills, Queens, N.Y. In 1953 they purchased their home of 47 years in Greenvale, L.I. N.Y. and became very involved in the town both socially and politically. He helped to found and was the second President of the Greenvale Chamber of Commerce; was a member of St. Mary’s Church in Roslyn, N.Y.; a member of the Knights of Columbus; and the Manhasset Art Association. In 1966, Bob joined the Mill River Golf Club, served on the Executive Committee for 8 years, and rose to the position of Vice President until his shoulders went bad and in 1986 golf became difficult.

He was a financial columnist for many years for the North Shore Community Newspapers, and also a volunteer teacher for Queensboro Community College. In 1987 he resigned from the Mill River Golf Club due to an injury, purchased a 30 foot Searay and joined the Port Washington Yacht Club, followed two years later by joining the Huntington Yacht Club, where they berthed their new 46 foot yacht, the JOYBOB…All this while enjoying his first calling, his artwork. He sold over 120 paintings!

After serving his clients for 50 years, in the year 2000 Robert retired from the brokerage business. In December 1996, on a Christmas visit to Florida, he purchased a home on Singer Island - 135 feet directly on the Intracoastal Waterway. In the year 2000 the Greenvale house at 10 Helen St was sold and all the real estate investments were liquidated.

The Florida house was completely renovated. He had a captain bring his boat from the Huntington Yacht Club to Old Port Cove. He and Joyce became Florida residents in the year 2000 and members of the Old Port Cove Yacht Club. Bob served on the Board of the Palm Beach Isles Property Owners Association for 10 years.

Robert is survived by his wife, Joyce, his daughter Denise Hanrahan, the President of Kay Staffing in Houston, TX., his son, Robert DiChiara, Jr., a Ceramic Engineer with Boeing in Carlsbad, CA. and Anthony DiChiara, his grandson who attends the University of California - Santa Cruz.

• Visitation: Friday, March 6th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Howard-Quattlebaum Funeral and Event Center located at 754 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach. (www.howard-quattlebaum.com or may call 1-800-224-4177).

• Funeral Mass: Saturday, March 7th 11 a.m. St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, 10970 Jack Nicklaus Drive, N. Palm Beach, FL 33408

• Cemetery: Saturday, March 7th 1:30 p.m. Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 1500 S. State Rd 7, N. Lauderdale, FL 33068 (954-972-1234)

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• Celebration of Life Reception (food will be served): Saturday, March 7th 4 p.m. Seasons 52,

11611 Ellison Wilson Rd, (off of PGA Blvd.), Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33408 (561-625-3852).

Flowers or a memorial donation can be made to 1) Red Oak Victory part of the Richmond Museum Association. Bob was the last remaining survivor of the Red Oak Victory ship, which fought in the Pacific during WWII. Donations can be made to: Red Oak Victory, 1337 Canal Blvd., Berth 5, Richmond, California 94804 (510 237 2933; https://redoakvictory.us/support-us/donate/) Or 2) Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer (https://www.lustgarten.org).