Below is an obituary from Levine Chapels:
WAYNESVILLE, OH — Robert Katz, of Waynesville, Ohio, passed away on January 14, 2024. Bob was born on September 11, 1937, the eldest son of Abe Katz and Ruth Gorin Katz. He grew up in Belmont Massachusetts. Bob attended Belmont schools and Boston University, and then proceeded on an eventful career.
Bob was an imaginative entrepreneur, and ran a number of successful enterprises over his lifetime. His early businesses were automobile associated: he ran the Ellery Street Garage in Cambridge, MA and then Allston Truck Delivery, Inc. in Allston, MA.
Then, while living in Boston, he started a company he named Distribution Support Services. It supplied workers to work in factories all over the country, to temporarily replace strikers. But, Bob’s services were not only useful to factory owners, his workers were welcomed by unions because Bob assured them that the temporary workers would never take the factory jobs and that they were doing the union workers a service by keeping the factory open until the dispute was resolved, because that encouraged management not to permanently close.
Bob was co-owner, with Donna Suskawicz, of New England Tour Services, a Boston-based tour guide service that provided bus step-on guides for tours of Boston and New England. Bob was trained as a guide to provide the historical narratives and was known to wear colorful hats i.e., a large lobsta (translation: lobster) hat, during his tours, to the delight of participants on the bus.
In his last decade, while living in Ohio, Bob started a business that received used pallets from shipping companies, hiring immigrant workers at good salaries to recondition the pallets, which he sold back to the companies.
Bob was passionate about collecting Classic Cars, particularly Packard cars. He lovingly restored a rare 1931 Packard 840 Dietrich Convertible, that was one of three of these cars that were ever made. This particular car was previously owned by the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, and Bob affectionately called this car “The King of Sweden.” When he had the car restored at Hibernia Restoration, he had the royal crest of Sweden decal added to the door of the car.
Bob showed The King of Sweden extensively throughout New England. A beautiful showstopper, the car won many Best of Show trophies at car shows throughout the years. He was a member of the North Atlantic Packard Club for decades. Bob was honored to be asked to drive The King of Sweden to lead the Make Way for Ducklings Parade in Boston one year. He also drove The King of Sweden in the Denzel Washington movie, The Great Debaters.
In recent years, Bob was thrilled to visit, in California, not once, but twice, the extensive car collection of comedian Jay Leno.
Bob was an extraordinarily kind, generous and friendly individual. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of Aleppo Shriners of Wilmington, MA, and he generously supported Shriners Hospitals for Children. He was also a member of the “76” Club of Boston for many years.
Everyone who knew Bob knew he was a lover of cats. With his last name, Katz, it makes sense! In Boston, he shared his life, and his home, with three beloved cats for sixteen years, Domino, Puffin and Evinrude. All of his cats were shelter or rescue cats and they gave him great joy and comfort.
Bob is survived by brothers Paul and wife Myrna, Edward and wife Marsha and their children David and Judd, and grandnieces and grandnephews as well as numerous beloved cousins and dear friends.
A funeral service will be held at the Temple Israel Cemetery, 500 North Ave., Wakefield on June 30 at 11AM, followed by lunch for those interested at a nearby restaurant.
Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.
Wilmington Apple 