Robert McGrath

Bunty was born on December 28,1942 to the late Robert and Ann McGrath. He was born and raised in West Brighton. He was a graduate of Sacred Heart and Curtis High School. He joined the New York City Fire Department in 1968. He began his career as a firefighter at Engine 17 in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He had a career that spanned 33 years and five decades with the Department in every borough. He worked his way up the ranks to Battalion Chief of the 21 Battalion on Staten Island. He retired in 2000 from a line of duty injury. He was cited several times for meritorious acts of bravery during his service to the job he loved so much.

He was active in the FDNY Holy Name Society and Emerald Society as well as the FDNY Staten Island Retirees organization. He was a founding member of both Monsignor Farrell High School’s Marty Celic Scholarship Fund and David DeFranco Scholarship Fund.

He enjoyed golf, fishing and crabbing and spending time on the beach at his Long Beach Island home and his Cabin in the Catskills. He was his grandchildren’s biggest fan and made every basketball, soccer game and track meet. He was a kind and caring neighbor and always willing to lend a hand to someone in need . He was a faithful parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church .

He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 51 years, Mary Ellen (Driscoll), his son Robert McGrath, his daughter Ann Marie and son in law Ken DeFranco, his grandchildren Dan, Claire and Christopher DeFranco. He is also survived by his sisters, Nancy Donovan, Ruth Bowden, Linda Gordon and Frances Britton along with the families .

Harmon Funeral Home

Monday and Tuesday

2 to 4 and 7 to 9

Funeral 10 am

Wednesday March 18

Blessed Sacrament Church