A celebration of life was held July 23 for Robert W. Waldron, of Red Bank, a journalist who wrote for several major North Jersey newspapers. He passed away July 18 at Ocean Medical Center. Born in Jersey City to the late John and Sadie Waldron, Bob grew up in Greenville spending his summers with his Nana and Pop on the farm in Califon. He was a member of the Cator St. Gang in Greenville and graduated from St. Peters Prep. He continued to St. Peters College where he graduated summa cum laude.
He began his career as a journalist covering City Hall for the Hudson Dispatch and then moved to The Jersey Journal. The Journal’s editor had noticed his ability to beat them to the headline and the story and offered him a raise to join the paper. He worked his way through the Newhouse organization and eventually became the night editor of the Newark Star Ledger. He was mentioned in Time Magazine along with Gene Bannon for their coverage of the Jersey City municipal election of 1957.
Some of his most memorable stories were the train derailment over Newark Bay in 1958, the John F. Kennedy funeral, and the great Halloween Storm of 1962 where he hitched a ride with the National Guard to Long Beach Island to cover the story. He had the privilege to fly with and tell the story of the Blue Angels.
His love of politics and understanding of the Jersey City electorate eventually led him to managing campaigns for numerous Jersey City mayors including Thomas Gangemi. On a whim, as a publicity event they placed a call to the Dublin Police Department and asked for “Patrick” and the lucky constable whose name was Patrick Kenney was invited, with his wife, expenses paid, to lead the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Jersey City for the next two years. Bob ultimately became the public relations manager and spokesperson for the American Council of Life Insurers. Bob was the go to guy for the morning news shows and you could find him being interviewed by Jane Pauley, Andrew Tobias, or Bryant Gumbel any time there was a question about the industry.
Bob loved sailing and was affectionately known as “Captain Hazard”. His best friend Ron Semple says, “You knew when you went sailing with Bob you were putting your life in your hands but you were going to have a hell of a good time.” He loved singing and he started at an early age with his cousin Adrienne in the taverns in Greenville. He directed a comedy called “Down In The Horseshoe” written by Gene Flinn the story of Mike Mulligan in 1910. He spoke Latin, loved history, was an avid reader and chess player. He was a carpenter, a polymath and a true Renaissance man.
Bob leaves his former wife and friend Lillian Waldron Albert and was predeceased by his wife Bernice Malamud Waldron. Robert is survived by his children and their spouses; Robert G. and Frances Waldron, William and Donna Waldron, Mary Waldron and Michael Ascolese , Julie and Robert Gaffney, Steven and Jan Malamud and Saul Malamud. Also surviving are his grandchildren Patrick, Kate and Matthew Gurney and Robert, Chris and Melissa Waldron, and his friends Ron and Jane Semple and Mickey DeLorenzo.
Services arranged by the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank.
