Robert S. Konefal, 86, formerly of Bedford, New Hampshire, died Sunday, October 9, 2022, at the New Hampshire Veterans' Home in Tilton. Bob was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on February 21, 1936, a son of the late John and Margaret (Retz) Konefal. He was raised in Garfield, New Jersey, before moving to southern New Hampshire where he spent his entire adult life.
Bob had a very strong work ethic, holding jobs from age 11 as a paperboy until he retired as a plastics expert in the 1990's. He was educated in Garfield, New Jersey, public schools, and was graduated from Garfield High School in 1953. He was drafted into the Army in 1954 and honorably discharged in 1956. He spent the greater part of those two years stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he was trained as a tank mechanic.
While in the Army, Bob renewed a friendship with Gloria Gilde whom he had met in 5th grade and who was at the time a sophomore at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, majoring in Zoology and Chemistry, hoping to attend medical school. The friendship blossomed into a serious commitment and they became engaged in 1957 and were married in 1959. Gloria gave up her plans for medical school and took a job teaching biology and chemistry at Teaneck High School, Teaneck, New Jersey.
Bob had been brought up a Roman Catholic; however, when he and Gloria became serious, they attended the Hackensack Baptist, Gloria's church, and he became a convert. Under the tutelage of Dr. Joseph Stowell, the minister there whom Bob loved and respected, he was saved and baptized and became a lifelong believer. Toward the end of his life when he was very sick, he spent long hours reading his Bible or having it read to him and praying as he prepared to meet his maker.
After Bob's 2-year stint in the Army, he took advantage of the G. I. Bill and enrolled at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. At Stevens he was an excellent student and received a scholarship to study advanced calculus there. He joined Sigma Nu Fraternity and enjoyed his studies at Stevens immensely. He was graduated in 1960 with an M.E. degree (Mechanical Engineer). His first job as an engineer was with Improved Machinery in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Both Bob and Gloria were ready to start a family after moving to New Hampshire and their first child, Robert Gilde Konefal, was born on July 6, 1961. What a joyful day that was! Almost 3 years later, another joyful day when their daughter Lisa was born on April 5, 1964. Gloria spent her time raising the children and took a job as organist and pianist at Trinity Baptist Church; Bob enjoyed his work as a plastics engineer and got his first patent at Improved Machinery for a safety device on an injection molding machine. He also indulged his hobbies of hunting and fishing and a new one: snowmobiling. He bought a huge piece of land in northern Maine -- 150 acres of wilderness to enjoy hunting, a mile of shorefront on Portage Lake for fishing, and miles of groomed trails to use for snowmobiling.
Bob spent his entire career in the plastics industry as a design engineer and technical director. He is best known as a plastics expert. He has 9 patents, the most recent, most lucrative, and the one he is most proud of is for a plastic vial -- "one-click" -- used by all Walmart pharmacies worldwide, Walgreens, and many others. He worked for Owens-Illinois at the end, retiring in the 1990's and doing consulting work afterward.
Toward the end of his life, Bob was afflicted with Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and a host of other physical problems. Gloria was his sole caregiver for 5 or 6 years. He had a setback in October, 2021, when he came down with a serious sepsis infection which caused him to be hospitalized for a number of weeks. The hospital got the infection under control; however, while there he stopped walking and Gloria could no longer take care of him alone. We had applied for admission to the New Hampshire Veterans' Home in Tilton and they were finally able to accept him on December 14th, 2021, where he was until he died. New Hampshire is famous for treating their veterans well with a beautiful facility, high on a hill overlooking the White Mountains, with beautiful grounds and a staff of wonderful caregivers equal to none. We commend them for giving Bob excellent, compassionate care. We thank them for making Bob's last days comfortable, pain-free, and for loving him.
So . . . we honor Bob's exemplary life. He was a faithful Christian, a wonderful husband and father, the most generous man I have ever known. We loved him well as he loved us and thank God for His precious gift to us.
There are no calling hours. Graveside services concluding with military honors will be held privately for family at the NH State Veteran’s Cemetery, Boscawen, NH. The Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium of Derry and Londonderry are assisting the family with arrangements.
He is survived by wife of 63 years, Gloria Guild Konefal, son Robert Guild Konefal and his wife Catherine Burns Konefal, daughter Lisa Konefal Guymont and her husband Ralph Guymont, and two grandchildren: Robert James Guild Konefal (RJ) and Sarah Brigid Konefal.