Obituary of Robert William Cortese
Robert (Bob) William Cortese passed away peacefully at his home on January 21, 2026. Known for his kindness, humor, and an innate ability to put everyone he met at ease, Bob lived a life defined by dedication to his family and a passion for staying active.
Born on Valentine’s Day in 1946 to Philip Cortese and Rose Aquaro, Bob was raised in Paramus, New Jersey. A natural athlete, he achieved high school state honors in both football and baseball. His talent on the diamond even caught the attention of professional scouts, leading to tryouts as a first baseman for the Phillies and other organizations. After graduating from Paramus High School in 1964, he attended Wagner College in Staten Island on a full football scholarship.
Bob enjoyed a successful 33-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. He began in customer service before moving into sales, eventually retiring at age 55 as a Regional Sales Manager at Mallinckrodt.
In 1975, he married the love of his life, Kathleen, and relocated to Mt. Laurel, NJ. A man who truly "didn’t waste a minute", Bob spent his weekends meticulously redoing every room in their home, playing tennis, golf and tending to his garden. After moving to Little Egg Harbor in 2017, he became a fixture at the local historical society, working alongside his wife where he earned the affectionate nickname “Mr. Perfect”.
Bob’s greatest joy was his family. He was a constant attendee at track meets, softball, baseball, and soccer games, always there to cheer on his children and grandchildren. Even in his final days, watching videos of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought him immense happiness. He often remarked that he had truly lived a "good life".
Survived by his wife of 50 years Kathleen Cortese, daughter Nicole (Mike) Serhat, step-daughters, Laura Pfeiffer (Chris Brecht), and Kristine (Vincent) DiNardo; Granddaughters, Heather Flenard, Gabriella Serhat, Lucia Serhat; Great grandsons Cole and Jace Campbell and sister Phyllis Cortese.
In remembrance of Bob, the family suggests donations be made to the Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, supporting Home Care and Hospice, whose staff provided invaluable support to Bob and Kathleen during his final days. The link for donation may be found on the tribute wall or within the link tree.
