Robert (Bob) Aufderhar of Fair Haven, NJ, died suddenly on May 19, 2025 at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ, after a short illness.
Bob was born in Orange, NJ on Easter Sunday in 1931. He grew up in South Orange and Maplewood and attended local schools, graduating from Columbia High School, before joining the United States Air Force where he spent four years.
He served mostly in California and Cape Canaveral, Florida, working in technology and guided missile systems, helping Werner Von Braun perfect missile defense for the United States.
After 4 years, he received an Honorable Discharge and then attended Syracuse University, where he met his wife-to-be, Joan, and received a degree in Business Administration.
His first job was at Prudential where he was hired to work as a programmer in the nascent computer industry, today known as Information Technology (IT). He then spent the rest of his career helping major corporations all over the world set up their computer systems.
He married his college sweetheart and they were blessed with two daughters. They lived many years in Millburn, NJ, where their daughters were raised. Lee was born in Orange, NJ and Mary in Toronto, Canada, where Bob worked for 18 months.
Bob loved sports, both watching and playing. He loved The New York Giants baseball team and followed them even after they moved to California. He enjoyed tennis, skiing, swimming, and sailing, especially on Long Beach Island.
During his career and after retirement, he and Joan loved to travel and went to many countries, Australia being their favorite, also the Galapagos, and many islands in the sun.
Bob loved to laugh. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was often the life of the party. He liked to be silly with his grandchildren who loved to be teased by him and hear his stories.
Bob is survived by his wife Joan; daughters Lee (Kraig) and Mimi; grandchildren Lisle, Dylan (Celeste), and Charles; sister Sue; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families. He will be very much missed by all.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 24th from 11-1 pm, with a service at 12:30 pm at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701.
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