Robert E. D'Amore

W. NEWBURY- Brilliant, entertaining, loving, compassionate, honorable, artistic, keeper of family stories, a gentle man of so many talents—how shall we ever fill the void? On October 7, 2023, Robert E. D'Amore, age 87, of West Newbury, MA, passed away peacefully and surrounded with love at the VA hospital in Boston, MA, after a long battle with cancer. He was a cherished life partner, father, brother, uncle, cousin, grandfather, great grandfather, friend and confidant. He joins the distinguished long gray line of West Point Military Academy cadets who have gone before him. Robert was born on October 27, 1935, in Winthrop, MA, the second of four children. He grew up in Arlington, MA, and was the adoring brother and caretaker of his sisters, Joan and Deborah, during WWII while his father was serving in Europe and his mother was working for the war effort. They lost Joan to diabetes, but he and Deb remained close for the rest of their lives. In high school, he developed a love of cars, and multiple sketch books from those days testify to his artistic ideas and engineering designs. He sought the challenge of the build and chased speed-induced adrenaline. In the 1950s, he was one of the first to experiment with nitromethane in his Ford V8, making him virtually unbeatable, and he became a legendary drag racer. He was also known to take his need for speed to Lake Winnipesaukee, his true home, where he and his Warlock or other ‘modified’ craft barely skimmed the lake’s glassy surface! Even cruising the lake for Sunday morning donuts or afternoon ice creams were character-building adventures his children will savor forever! After graduating from Arlington High School, Robert was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he built life-long friendships with fellow Class of ’58 cadets. He went on to serve with distinction in the U.S. Army for 10 years and served as a Major during combat duty in the Vietnam War, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star, among other honors. He became an avid boxer and coach during his West Point and Army years and remained a fan of the sport throughout his life. After the Army, Robert pursued an MBA in academic and business interests at Harvard Business School to build on his military engineering studies. His first love was automotive design, but after several cross-country interviews and offers with major car companies such as Ford Motor, he decided to stay closer to home and build a family business in package engineering with his brother-in-law, Artie. Together they founded the very successful AR-Tech Packaging Corp, which they built up and sold many years later. He later traveled the globe as a valued engineering and packaging consultant for several major U.S. companies, inventing a packaging process for them that used a mathematical equation to predict how much pressure a computer could sustain during the shipping process. This helped to identify the right packaging to protect their products. He then worked to create pulp packaging from old newspapers that would perform as well -- but wouldn’t end up in landfills. That pulp packaging concept is found today in products ranging from egg cartons to electronics to fast food containers. In retirement, Bob enjoyed building and racing old cars, mostly hidden garage finds. They went fast, and that was his fun. In 2001, he won a Hill Climb race at a mountain that had been the nemesis of his cars’ engines over the years by entering his pickup truck! He took first place in the Tow Truck Division. He continued to tinker and to race well into his eighties and was an advocate for older drivers. He “Climbed to the Clouds” of Mt Washington, NH several times, and raced in the ovals and hill climbs of NH, VT, NY, WVA, and PA. Racing fans lined the hills and roads and cheered with anticipations as the “beast” (his 1968 McKee Mk8 Formula 5000) trembled then shot out of the start gate and up the mountain at 170 mph, shaking the surrounding forests and inhabitants with its thunderous horsepower. As an avid racing aficionado, he followed and regularly contributed articles for Hot Rod and similar car magazines. His fully restored 1969 Cooper T90 5000 was once featured on Kit Car magazine’s cover and center spread. Bob was so convinced that car racing kept his brain and agility sharp that he was writing a book about it as a discipline that helps with neurogenesis to slow down or reverse the mental effects of aging! His shelf of awarded trophies and medals attests to his success. Off the track, Bob's hobbies were as diverse as his opinions. He enjoyed a Woodman’s fried clam dinner as a reward for hard labor digging in the garden, building rock walls, rummaging through antique shops, or completing the weekly NY Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle in pen. He loved hitting the road to explore the mountains, the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, and everywhere in between with Chris, who he variously described as his wonderful pal, his partner in crime, his femme fatale, his bete noire, and his forever love. Together they perused classic, antique, and vintage car (and boat) shows, races, and museums, especially when hotrods of the 1950s were featured, Chris with camera in hand to capture his favs. He often brought his “other woman,” a vintage, eye-catching bright yellow 1959 Kellison J3R Moon Eyes, to these shows and loved regaling admirers with stories of her racing history. Bob was also a locomotive aficionado and railway modeler who created authentic mountain, lakes, and railyard landscapes for his HO scale trains -- it consumed the entire third floor, including closets, of his former townhouse condo. He was a gifted, prolific writer and family historian, both preserving memories in writing and sharing them with eager audiences at family gatherings. Bob enjoyed good conversation, cooking favorite Italian family recipes, and attending holidays and celebrations with family and friends. A man of varied interests, he loved watching westerns, The Andy Griffith Show, boxing, all Indy and F1 car racing, film noir and its precursors, and listening to doo-wop. He especially enjoyed cooking an intimate dinner of Veal Oscar or a “still kickin’” rare steak, both smothered in his top secret Bearnaise sauce recipe, with a full-bodied red wine, chilled gin martinis (graciously sharing all the marinated olives with Chris!), and an anything-chocolate dessert, preferably while serenaded by a Pavarotti aria. Even at the VA he happily enjoyed contraband orange sodas, an occasional strawberry shortcake, and of course chocolate -- when the nurses weren’t looking! Robert, Bob, Rob, Dad, Uncle Bob, Pop Pop loved his family. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy; he lit up when he was around them and delighted in their accomplishments, their potential, their joy and their unique humor. He felt that he made the world a better place through them. Bob used to quote Bette Davis and say that “old age is no place for sissies” and, although he faced a daunting challenge in his final years, he did so with strength, courage, optimism, faith, a keen intellect, and an indomitable sense of humor. Robert is survived by many loved ones, including his lifelong partner of 40 years, Christine Twohig; his younger sister, Deborah Aulenback, and younger brother, Joseph D’Amore; his daughters Catherine D'Amore and Donna (Suzy) D’Amore; stepchildren George (Amanda) Twohig; Shelly (Stu) Twohig Hudson; and Derek (Lindsay) Twohig; Nephews Eric (Kimberly) Aulenback, David Aulenback, Marco D’Amore, Nicholas D’Amore, Daniel D’Amore, Gabriel D’Amore, and former wife, Sally McFadden D’Amore. He is also survived by ten adoring grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph E. D'Amore and Catherine L. (Laurano) D'Amore; his older sister Joan D’Amore; his son Joseph D’Amore; and his brother-in-law, Arthur Aulenback. Join us on Veteran’s Day, November 11, at 11:00 am as we honor Bob with a Funeral Mass at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, 24 Conant Street, Danvers, MA, followed by a military honors ceremony presented by the U.S. Army Honor Guard in gratitude for his commitment and sacrifice to his country. A Celebration of Life luncheon will follow from 12:00-3:00 pm at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott Street in Danvers, where we will celebrate Bob with the camaraderie, music, pictures, favorite stories, and of course, the good food and conversation that he so enjoyed! Inurnment will be held in the spring at West Point. Now, may it be said, “Well done; be thou at peace.” In lieu of flowers, donations to the VA Fisher House would be gratefully appreciated. The Fisher House at the Boston West Roxbury VA hospital provides a home away from home for Veterans’ families to stay close to their loved ones during VA hospitalizations and hospice, with no charge to families. Donations can be sent to Voluntary Service (Fisher House 5009), VA Boston Healthcare System, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132.