Robert J. Sickles

Robert J. Sickles, 91 years young, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 6, 2024 surrounded by his family in Rhode Island Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Eleanor F. (Meagher) Sickles with whom he shared 47 years of marriage.

Born in East Orange, NJ the son of the late John J. and Helen (Kincaid) Sickles, he was a longtime resident of Bristol, RI.

A graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory School, Class of 1950 he was a veteran of the United States Navy having served during the Korean Conflict. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island in 1958. He founded R.J. Sickles Associates, Inc. in 1970 and Sickles Distribution Sales in the 80s, reluctantly retiring at the age of 74. He put his retirement on hold to care for his three granddaughters whom he considered daughters of his own.

A sports enthusiast, he enjoyed playing golf, baseball, skiing, and bike riding, taking long walks and leisurely drives with Eleanor. A man who could not sit still, he had an active mind and was a skilled problem solver. He delighted in his Saturday night dinners at the Lobster Pot, visits to Second Beach and annual trips to Hawaii. A faithful Catholic he was a communicant of St. Mary of the Bay Parish and devoted to his family. His generous heart knew no limit; he consistently put the needs of others before his own.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by one stepson, Kevin O’Connell and his wife Nancy; three granddaughters, Victoria Clucas and her husband Kevin, Diana Sickles-Sheehan and her husband James Sheehan and Sarah Griffin and her partner Sean Silva; one step-granddaughter, Natalie Bergeron-Keefe and her husband David; two great-granddaughters, Elouise Sickles-Sheehan and Kennedy Clucas and many nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Lisa Sickles, stepfather of the late Karen O’Connell-Griffin and brother of the late Richard, Jack and Mary Ellen Sickles.

His Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM from the Wilbur-Romano Funeral Home, 615 Main St., Warren followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM in St. Mary of the Bay Parish, 645 Main St., Warren. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours are Monday from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Providence. Contributions in his honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For directions and tributes, www.wilbur-romano.com