Obituary of Robert DePiro

Robert L. DePiro passed away on May 21, 2023 after a short illness, joining his beloved wife of 62 years, Louise Cairoli DePiro, who he lost just five weeks earlier. Born in Newark, NJ on January 23, 1936, Bob grew up in Belleville and was a resident of Cedar Grove for the last 9 years. Bob and Louise raised their children and lived most of their life in Montclair, and enjoyed the winter months in Hilton Head Island, SC in their retirement.

After graduating from Belleville High School in 1953, Bob attended the University of Maryland College Park, where he was a proud brother of Sigma Chi. Always a loyal TERP, he supported the Accounting Development Fund at the College of Business and Management, now the Smith School of Business, for over 40 years; in 2009, he solidified his legacy by funding an undergraduate scholarship that supports aspiring accounting students from New Jersey.

After college, Bob joined the US Army Reserves, passed his CPA, and married Louise in 1960. He started his 35+ year public accounting career in Manhattan with Bacon, Taylor and Beairsto, which merged with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. and ultimately became KPMG. He was made partner in 1968, eventually leading audits of large multinational clients out of the Newark and then Short Hills office. Bob attended retired/former partner events every holiday season through 2022.

On international business trips, Bob always made time in his tight schedule to visit the local zoo, where he knew he could get a glimpse of not just the animals and fauna of his destination city, but a snapshot of the children and host culture as well. Bob and Louise also traveled to Italy annually, enjoying small towns and large cities.

From childhood, living across the street from Hendricks Field Golf Course, Bob and his brothers were avid golfers. Bob and Louise joined Montclair Golf Club in 1970, where he served as Trustee and Treasurer for 6 years. On Hilton Head Island, he was a member of Bear Creek Golf Club. He was a member of Secession Golf Club in Beaufort SC and Farmington Country Club at the University of Virginia. A golf history enthusiast, he was a member of the Donald Ross Society. Bob was an active member of the NJ Senior Golf Association where he also served as Treasurer and then President. His lifelong love of the game brought him to championship courses throughout the US and the world, often packing his golf shoes even for business trips (“you can always rent clubs, you can’t rent shoes”). In his retirement, he fed his obsession with links golf, enjoying annual trips to the British Isles for marathon 36 hole days until as recently as 2016.

Bob also served as Trustee of the Newark Museum and volunteered at the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair.

Bob and Louise developed lifelong friendships throughout the world through golf and business. Bob mentored and influenced so many and accomplished so much.

Bob is survived by his children Sally A DePiro, Robert F DePiro and Valerie E DePiro, and grandson Ian James Berman; brother Ronald DePiro, and sisters-in-laws Jerri Ann DePiro and Lena DePiro; nephews and nieces Br James DePiro, Marie (DePiro) Hardenberg, David DePiro, Joseph DePiro, Sheri (DePiro)

Norton, Ronald DePiro Jr, Gina (DePiro) Condorelli, Matthew Gutknecht, Amanda Gutknecht. He was predeceased by his parents Jim and Sue DePiro, and his beloved older brother, Jim DePiro.

In lieu of flowers, we ask for donations to the Robert L. DePiro ‘57 Undergraduate Current Use Scholarship at the Smith School of Business at University of Maryland College Park https://go.umd.edu/robertdepiro or the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair https://www.humanneedsfoodpantry.org/donate

A private burial is planned; a mass and a celebration of life are scheduled at a later date.