On Wednesday, February 10, 2021 the Bucceri family lost its hero. Robert Alan Bucceri, 69, died of a stroke after almost seven years battling back from a traumatic brain injury that had been caused by an initial stroke on May 12, 2014.
Bob was first and foremost a devoted and loving family man. He is survived by his wife, Nancy (née Price), to whom he’d been married for 38 years, daughter Julia Elizabeth of Pittsburgh, son Benjamin Robert of Philadelphia, nieces Amanda Bucceri Androus (husband Ryan) and Elizabeth Bucceri Penney (husband Bryce), grand-niece and nephew Jacey and Benjamin Androus and grand-nephew Finnian Penney, all of California. He is also survived by many first and second cousins that he loved dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents Benjamin Frank Bucceri and Ruth Manzie Bucceri, his brother, and Benjamin Frank Bucceri, Jr.
He began his professional life as an English teacher at Moorestown High School in Moorestown, NJ, after earning a graduate degree from the University of Chicago and bachelor’s degree from Defiance College in Ohio.
Bob was a successful entrepreneur, starting Chaddsford Planning Associates, LLC, in 1997. A marketing and business development consultant, he was a pioneer in the electronic benefits transfer (EBT) industry and a leader on early projects in New York and Pennsylvania that transformed the paper-based food stamp system to electronic payment cards. The success of these early projects led to the nationwide roll-out of EBT and ultimately a similar transformation of the Women, Infant and Children’s (WIC) supplemental nutrition program. These programs have brought dignity to the beneficiaries of these programs and operational efficiencies to federal and state government agencies.
Bob was a founding member of what is now known as EFTA’s eGovernment Payments Council (eGPC), a Council that focuses on the business, policy and operating issues involved in government electronic payment programs. He was also a founder of the EBT Next Generation Conference, the only annual national conference devoted exclusively to EBT, now in its 23rd year.
Bob loved coaching baseball. He began his career coaching high school baseball at Moorestown High School in New Jersey in the mid-1970's and was a volunteer coach with both West Side Little League and St. Agnes CYO baseball. Bob coached the freshman baseball team at East High School from 2013 to 2015 and returned from his first stroke to coach his final season from a wheelchair.
Bob loved fly fishing, running, skiing, all things cars, and going to church. Bob was active in St. Agnes Parish prior to his first stroke, serving on Pre Cana with Nancy, and as a Eucharistic minister.
Despite the devastating effects of his first stroke, he never slowed down, never gave up, and never looked back, embracing his gift of life fully and completely.
Relatives and Friends are invited to his visitations on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 from 11:00 am - 11:45 am at St. Agnes Church 233 W. Gay St. West Chester, PA 19380, 610-696-1181, www.DellaFH.com; followed by his Funeral Mass at 12:00 pm. Livestreaming of Bob's Funeral Mass will be available here: https://boxcast.tv/view/bucceri-family-funeral-skenppyajcujhutpmph0
Interment will be in St. Agnes Cemetery West Chester, PA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bob’s memory to Catholic Relief Services 307 Gayley St, Media, PA 19063 https://www.crs.org/ways-to-give#all-ways-to-give
Arrangements by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc. 410 N. Church St. West Chester, PA 19380 610-696-1181; www.DellaFH.com