Obituary: Robert “Bob” Rosenbloom

From the Rosenbloom family

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, Robert “Bob” Rosenbloom of Ossining, NY died unexpectedly at
the age of 76.

A beloved husband, father and grandfather, Bob’s loved ones find some solace
knowing that he passed away in the midst of doing something he loved: traveling. Just the day
before he fell ill, Bob had enjoyed touring the caverns of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

Bob was born in St, Louis, MO, on August 20, 1945, to the late Harriet (Silberstein) and S.
Eugene Rosenbloom. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lisa (Henderson) Rosenbloom of
Ossining, NY; son Philip Rosenbloom (Christina DaCosta) of Poughkeepsie, NY; daughter Kate
Rosenbloom of Brooklyn, NY; grandsons Lucien and Caleb Rosenbloom (who affectionately
called him “Ace”); and sisters Bettyann Slatten (Brent) and Jane Charbonneau of the greater
St. Louis area.

Bob caught the travel bug after his graduation from Princeton University in 1967, when he
served in Bolivia with the Peace Corps. These two years proved a formative experience,
sparking lifelong passions for community development, Latin America and the Spanish
language, along with friendships with fellow volunteers that lasted for the next 55 years. Most
recently, after a return trip to Bolivia with these friends, he helped raise funds for the nonprofit
Mano a Mano to dig a well for a small community there.

After returning from the Peace Corps, Bob completed a doctorate in political science at Stanford
University, where he first met Lisa waiting outside a library that was evacuated by a bomb
threat. He went on to become Associate Professor of Politics at Mount Holyoke College, before
joining the Corporate Social Responsibility team at Chemical Bank (later JPMorgan Chase
Foundation) in 1983. For the next 22 years, Bob and a group of close-knit colleagues funded
millions of dollars in grants to charitable organizations in the U.S. and around the world. This
gave him great satisfaction and the opportunity to travel to places like South Africa and his
beloved South America.

Bob was committed to social justice locally, as well. After retiring from Chase, he worked part-
time for the Housing Action Council, helping Westchester residents facing foreclosure. For
years, he sat on the boards of the IFCA Housing Network and the Ethical Society of Northern
Westchester. He also volunteered with Neighbors Link to help immigrants learn English and
integrate into American life.

When he wasn’t out serving his community, Bob could often be found reading. He consumed
the New York Times cover-to-cover every morning and in the evening settled in with historical
fiction or nonfiction. He enjoyed getting out of the house and regularly walked in Rockefeller
State Park, swam at Club Fit, or kayaked in the Croton River. He loved making lattes with his
espresso maker, baking bread, and eating ice cream. He was a fan of classic Mel Brooks
movies and the music of Mozart, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Bonnie Raitt. His kindness,
generosity and sense of humor will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Ossining Children’s
Center (32 State Street, Ossining, NY 10562). Parking will be limited, so carpools are highly
encouraged.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to one of the following charities:

• Neighbors Link
• Mano a Mano International
• IFCA Housing Network
• Ossining Children’s Center