Robert Emory Van Cott of Tuckahoe died suddenly on February 5th. He was 77 years old. Beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, he is survived by his wife, Mary, his daughter and son, Margaret and Edward, his son in law, Tim, his three grandsons, Charles, Henry and William and his brother, Roy.
Bob was born in Richmond, Virginia on May 7, 1940 and grew up between Mount Vernon, New York and Tappahannock, Virginia. Bob was a storyteller and a southern gentleman at heart. His Tidewater summers with his three siblings and cousins were filled with adventures to rival Tom Sawyer, and he happily weaved them into stories with the perfect balance of great detail and unverifiable veracity. He loved electronics and tinkering as a boy, and it was his time in the United States Air Force communications group where he turned that love to skill. He worked for the phone company through its many permutations for almost thirty years, and started his own business installing phone and computer systems when he retired. Bob was an adventurer, both on the road and in the kitchen. He cooked until all hours of the night whipping up wild confections, savory delicacies and rich sauces. He studied cooking at the New School post-retirement, and he interned in New York restaurants, where learned to double the spices, use butter fearlessly,and treat every piece of meat with the respect it deserves. And once it got cold up north, the southerner headed south, lately at the wheel of his cherry red Mustang convertible, his sweetie by his side, and his trunk full of pots and pans. He loved to travel with Mary and so many of their friends, but he also loved staying in place, especially in Cutchogue, where he could cook in his favorite kitchen and sail on the Peconic Bay. He and Mary had a beautiful marriage, nearly fifty years. Bob would say that the secret to their success was his knowing when to give in and simply say “yes, my sweet.” They met at Mount Snow, and he maintained for their entire marriage that he knew the moment he spied her in the dinner line that she was the woman he would marry. He and Mary traveled the world and sat down to have coffee together every morning. More than once, their children found them dancing in the kitchen, wrapped in each other’s arms. They made a welcoming home together, where there was always time for a cocktail and conversation. He was a devoted Pop Pop to his three grandsons. Whether it was cooking with Henry, building with Charlie, or eating ramen with William at Rock n Ramen, he was all in: the sports, the concerts, the playdates and pickups. And always with a smile. He had a boundless positive spirit that was infectious, and may have been the nicest man one could ever meet. Bob leaves behind not only his family, but many, many wonderful friends, and memories of shared adventures, great food, laughter, and joy.
The family will receive friends at the WESTCHESTER FUNERAL HOME, INC. EASTCHESTER Saturday, February 10, 2018, 3-7 pm. The funeral service will be Sunday, February 11th, at 2pm at the Asbury Church in Tuckahoe. At the request of the family, the burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, friends who wish may contribute to Dent Disease Foundation, 2567 Berberobich Drive, Saginaw, MI 48603, www.dentdisease.com.