Obituary of Robert A. Garofalo

GOUVERNEUR/SYRACUSE- Robert A. Garofalo, age 66 of Syracuse and formerly of Gouverneur, passed away on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at Crouse Irving Hospital in Syracuse. Calling hours will be at French Funeral Home in Gouverneur on Friday, January 13, 2017 from 2 – 4 and 6 – 8 p.m. His funeral service will be on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. preceded by an hour of visitation at the funeral home. A reception will be held following the service in the Fellowship Hall of Gouverneur Methodist Church. Condolences may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com. Robert was born on July 28, 1950 to the late Arthur and Mary (Vagnoni) Garofalo. He graduated from the Rome Free Academy in 1968 and graduated from SUNY Brockport in 1972, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He then went on to receive his Master's degree from SUNY Potsdam. Bob married Charlotte "Charlie" Jones on October 20, 1973 in Rome, NY. He was an English teacher at the Gouverneur Central School for 32 years retiring in 2006. Later, he went to work as the part time Athletic Director at the Gouverneur Central School for three years, retiring in 2012. Bob served as a member of the St. James Parish Council; was president several times of the Gouverneur Teachers Association; he served on the Federal Credit Union Board; was a former member of the Gouverneur Kiwanis Club, the Cosmopolitan Dance Club and also served one term on the Gouverneur Village Board as a Trustee. Bob was also a volunteer cook and worker at the Gouverneur United Methodist Church's Friday Senior lunches. He enjoyed playing golf and served on the Gouverneur Country Club Board. After moving to Syracuse, he became a literacy volunteer at the Newland Center. Bob loved to cook, spend time with his family, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Surviving are his wife, Charlotte; a son and daughter-in-law, Nicholas and Kimberly Garofalo and their two sons, Oliver and Miles of Syracuse; a brother, Richard Garofalo and his partner, Stephen DiGeronimo of Stamford, CT and a sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Gene Gehman of Rome, NY. Donations made in memory of Bob may be made to the Newland Center, 1443 East Genesee St., Syracuse NY 13210 or the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 31160, Hartford CT 06150.