North End community leader, Robert J. DeCristoforo (known as Bobby D.), died while vacationing in Cancun, Mexico. He was found in his hotel room and preliminary reports point to a heart attack. He was 61 years old and is survived by a younger sister, Debra, and a brother, Joseph.
DeCristoforo was a life long resident of the North End, a neighborhood he cared about deeply. He worked as a teacher at Charlestown High School and also for the Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics.
Many know him as President of North End Against Drugs, an organization he founded to advocate on behalf of children and teens. NEAD organizes numerous events, fundraisers and scholarship awards to benefit the children of the North End.
He was also a long-time elected member of the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council, having served since the mid-1980s. As part of NEWNC, he chaired the Public Safety Committee, leading monthly meetings in the North End with the Boston Police (see photo). He was also involved in several annual events helping kids and athletics in the neighborhood.
Bobby was a regular contributor to the Post-Gazzette, Charlestown Patriot and Charlestown Bridge in a column known as “Bobby’s Beat.”
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Arrangements:
Visiting hours on Sunday April 25th from 2pm – 7pm at Murphy & Turnbull Funeral Home, 322 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown, MA.
Funeral on Monday April 26, 2010 at 9:15 am from the Murphy & Turnbull Funeral Home, 322 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown, MA. Internment will be at Holy Cross Cemetary, Malden, MA.
Funeral Mass in the St. Francis de Sales Church, Charlestown at 10:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bobby’s name may be made to the St. Francis de Sales Building Fund, 303 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown, MA 02129.
Link to obituary:
http://www.murphyturnbull.com/obituaries/obituary.php?id=16034
It’s a terribly sad day for his family and an enormous loss for so many in our community. RIP Bobby D.
It is a very sad day for the Decristiforo family and for the entire city of Boston. Bobby D meant a lot to many people. Everyone knew of him and liked him. He was very involved in youth groups throughout his life and made an impact on many lives, including my own. Bobby D will be missed. He was a truly great man.
People like Bobby D are rare finds…selfless, caring, kind, appreciative, endlessly dedicated to helping others.
What a loss but also what a life well lived.