Bob LaFantano, 61, of Brattleboro, was called home on November 18th following a brief battle with cancer, with his loving family by his side.

Bob was born in Huntington, New York, on July 20, 1962. The son of Eugene and Pierrette (Raguillat) LaFantano, he graduated from Northport High School and went on to study Business Management at UMASS Amherst. After moving his young family to the quieter life of Tinmouth, he began his career in the food service industry, a vocation for which he was a natural. His earlier work began in Rutland with Seward’s Restaurant and then with several other local restaurants and pizza shops, bringing him to co-own Sunny’s Deli here in Brattleboro with his lifelong friend and business partner Steve. When the opportunity arose, he became the lead cook for the Headstart Program with the Early Education Services through the WSESD School System. For Bob, whether for his own family or for the many wonderful children in the Headstart program, cooking was a calling that he was extremely proud of, often attributing his secret to great cooking as ‘just keep it simple’. His mantra has been proven time and again through his signature cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies.

Bob’s early years included many cycling trips with his friends from Long Island to Nova Scotia, and even on to Great Britain and Ireland. His appreciation of music, from blues to alt rock, was only surpassed by his lifelong love of all things sports, a passion that he lovingly shared with his children. He was an avid reader who loved words and word puzzles, and always found a newspaper to read whenever he could.

Bob was a kind and loving man whose love of his family shone through in everything he did. Always ready with his impeccable sense of humor, he never failed to rise to any challenge. He brought his considerable work ethic into every job he had and every task he undertook—whether stacking firewood in his back yard or running the register at Hannaford—and the void left by his passing will be felt by our family and this community for a long time to come.

Bob loved his family, loved Vermont, and loved his life with Mary Lou in their cozy little home. Their best times were spent surrounded by family on the back porch watching the many birds and animals in the yard. His daily chit-chat with his children was the most important. He couldn’t get enough of his sweet grandchildren and loved being Grampa Bob!

Bob is survived by his wife Mary Lou of Brattleboro, his father Eugene of Vernon, son Justin (Abby) of Atlanta; his daughters: Heather (Coby) Greif of Stamford, Connecticut, Emily of Austin, Texas and Kylie of Dorchester, Massachusetts; three stepchildren: Matt Kapitan of Tinmouth, Ben (Annie) Kapitan of Fort Worth, Texas, and Katie (Jason) Cramer of Little Rock, Arkansas; and four grandchildren: Tristan, Sophia, and Jonathan Kapitan, and Nora Greif. He is also survived by his siblings: Corinne of Pennsylvania, Pascal of Long Island, Michel (Rebekah) of Massachusetts, and Bruno Raquillat of France; many cousins and extended family members including Zachary Dodge. Bob was preceded in death by his infant son Tyler, his mother Pierrette (Annie) LaFantano, and his sister-in-law Beth LaFantano.

Bob embodied what it meant to be a husband, a father, a brother, and a friend. Our loss is incalculable. As a family we are stunned by his sudden illness and at the speed at which it took him. We will forever mourn his loss and cherish our warm memories of him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Red Cross or to one of our local youth organizations in Bob’s memory.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, November 29, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home, 40 Terrace Street, Brattleboro, VT. Interment will follow at Cavalry Cemetery in Rutland in the spring.