THE RETURN OF ART
Bobby Castellanete (tan shirt in front) with his family. Courtesy of Dore Rogers
BY JASON COHEN
Bobby Castellanete was a
Bronx icon. He served eight
borough presidents and was
the fi rst recipient of the “Key
to The Bronx” from BP Ruben
Diaz. Sadly, he passed away
May 27.
Castellanete died at the age
of 85 from prostate cancer, but
had a tremendous impact on
the Bronx.
Born in Throggs Neck and
raised in Pelham Bay, Castellanete
worked in the BP offi ce
for 60 years. He served as executive
assistant to the borough
president, the second
highest appointed position in
the offi ce behind the deputy
borough president. He also
worked in the Board of Estimate,
where he reviewed, approved
or modifi ed contracts
between the city and the
Bronx.
During that time he met
became friends with Morris
Park resident Bob Nolan. Nolan
worked with Castellanete
until 2008 and continued to
stay in touch. They had lunch
monthly and Nolan couldn’t
have asked for a better friend.
“Bobby always made time
for everybody,” Nolan said.
“You’re never going to fi nd
anyone more likeable.”
According to Nolan, very
few people spoke bad about
Castellanete and he was always
someone people went to
for advice. Castellanete, who
obtained a civil engineering
degree from City College of
New York, was the fi rst person
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 44 UNE 11-17, 2021 BTR
from his family to graduate
college.
He also served in the Marines
for three years and had
a deep respect for all branches
of the military.
Nolan noted that although
he is a liberal and Castellanete
was a staunch conservative,
that never affected their
friendship.
“There’s no one in my lifetime
who came close to accomplishing
what Bobby did,” he
stressed.
Castellanete was divorced
and never had kids, but a few
years ago moved to Connecticut
to be near his many nieces
and nephews.
Dore Rogers, one of Castellanete’s
nieces, was quite close
with her uncle. Although he
lived in the Bronx most of his
life, Castellanete spent every
birthday, holiday and wedding
with his family.
Rogers, who gave the eulogy
at the funeral, said God,
country and family were the
most important things in Castellanete’s
life.
“Uncle Robert was more
than just my uncle, he was
more like a father fi gure to me
after my own father passed
away,” she said in the eulogy.
“I admired him. I cherished
him. I loved him. He loved
three things fi ercely-God,
family and country. His life
revolved around family.”
She recalled how he loved
her children, grandchildren
and all of his nieces and nephews.
He would play hopscotch,
blow bubbles, read books with
them and never hesitated to
get down on the fl oor to play.
Rogers noted how Castellanete
loved to explore his
Italian roots. He went there 10
times and was even knighted
by the president of Italy for his
service to the Italian-American
community in New York.
It wasn’t his many years
serving in the borough president’s
offi ce that made him
who he was, she explained. He
was humble, polite, kind and
always said “I love you.” Rogers
spoke to her uncle almost
every day and now a huge part
of her life is gone.
“He was a wonderful
man,” Rogers told the Bronx
Times. “I’m very sad and I
miss him.”