Robert-Jalbert-Obituary

Robert A. Jalbert

Swampscott, Massachusetts

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Swampscott, Massachusetts

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A Bear's Migration

Robert Jalbert sold foam, all kinds. He sold the little bits found in the corners of printer cartridges. He sold foam for parts of wheelchairs.

He was 61 and had 20 years in the business. With just a look, he could advise clients on what kind of foam they needed, said his wife, Catherine Jalbert.

Mr. Jalbert, who lived in Swampscott, Mass., was one of the top salesmen at the Rogers Foam Corporation in Somerville, Mrs. Jalbert said. He was going on a business trip when he left Boston's Logan Airport on United Flight 175, the second plane to hit the World Trade Center.

Work was important to Mr. Jalbert, but his family was his fulcrum. He had a running joke with his son-in-law, John McCormick. When a daughter, Suzanne, first married Mr. McCormick about nine years ago, Catherine Jalbert gave them a brass bear candle holder as a housewarming present. No one liked it, Mrs. Jalbert recalled. It was about the size of a golf ball.

To get rid of it, Mr. McCormick gave it to Mr. Jalbert as a gift. Mr. Jalbert gave it back. The trading went on for years on various holidays. One Christmas, Mr. Jalbert put the bear between two large teddy bear bookends. When Mr. McCormick lifted them out of the box, the bear fell to the floor.

Another year, Mr. McCormick gave Mr. Jalbert the Physicians' Desk Reference, with pages dug out from the center. "When my husband opened up the book," Mrs. Jalbert said, "there was the bear."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on February 24, 2002.


Robert A. Jalbert, longtime employee of Rogers Foam

By Globe Staff, 9/16/2001

Robert A. Jalbert of Swampscott, a salesman for Rogers Foam in Somerville, was killed on United Airlines Flight 175 in New York on Tuesday. He was 61.

Mr. Jalbert was born in Haverhill and raised in Lewiston, Maine. He was a graduate of Wentworth Institute.

For more than 20 years, he was an employee of Rogers Foam in Somerville.

Mr. Jalbert had been a resident of Swampscott since 1981. He was a daily communicant of St. John the Evangelist Church in Swampscott.

He formerly was in the Marine Reserve.

Mr. Jalbert was a wine enthusiast and enjoyed working with his hands, creating woodworking projects. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and spoke French fluently.

He leaves his wife of 36 years, Catherine (Casey); two daughters, Suzanne McCormick of North Andover and Julie of Seattle; a son, Michael of Swampscott; a brother, Paul, of Lewiston, Maine; and three grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. John the Evangelist Church in Swampscott.

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Bob Jalbert was my dad's (Ron Jalbert) 1st cousin...they basically grew up together until the age of 7-8 years. While I never met Bob, my dad was heartbroken to learn that his beloved, childhood cousin was lost in this horrific incident (he moved our family to central Florida 4 decades ago, so they hadn't been in touch as we'd grown up). I am sure he is with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at peace. Prayers for his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Hello,
I worked with Bob in Somerville, Ma at Rogers Foam for 5 years. He got us all Kswiss sneakers for free for our whole family. He was a wonderful man and I
think of him often. He was a salesman and I was a project engineer and i worked directly with him. I did meet your whole family at a company picnic. He also took me out to lunch the last day i worked there. I heard through the plastics news bulletin about his untimely and tragic sudden death. I would just like you to know...

Thinking of you today.

To Bob's family and friends. I followed your hockey career when you were at St. Dom's in Lewiston. I was lucky enough to play for the "Saints" some years later and hopefully upheld the legacy you left for us.
You've outdone yourself this time, and I'm sure you were throwing some elbows and hip checks on that flight.
My thoughts have been with you even though we've never met.

It would seem I arrive to the same place each year. A person I have never met but I still take time to remember. There is still sorrow in my heart for your family as well as so many others. If it is any comfort at all, please know, I will never forget. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Always.

We enjoyed working on Hasbro and other fun things...you are missed and never forgotten

I love coming back to this website every now and then to read the things everyone remembers about my grandfather. Thank you all for your kind words. We miss him dearly and will never forget.