Robert Fabbricatore

Robert Lee Fabbricatore, aged 79 of Altamonte Springs, Florida,  passed away on December 3, 2024. Mr. Fabbricatore, known as “Fab” or Bob to friends was born and raised in Ithaca, New York. He was the son of the late Francis and Catherine Stockwell Fabbricatore who met as Cornell students and stayed in Ithaca after graduation, and brother of the late John Fabbricatore. His father came to Cornell from Brooklyn and his mother was from Oneida, New York. At some point, Fab referred to this as “Vito Corleone met Mary Poppins.” He graduated from Ithaca High School and Cornell University. At Ithaca High School, Fab played baseball, football and basketball. He was the shortstop on the championship teams of 1960, 1961, and 1962 and was named the All STC shortstop his Junior and Senior years and was selected to represent Section IV in the statewide All Star game in Cooperstown in 1962. He was a defensive back on the football team and second string tailback on offense behind Mel Robinson which he equated to being second string behind Lou Gehrig.

Fab went on to Cornell University, first in the pre veterinary program before transferring over to the College of Arts and Sciences and receiving a B.A. in Government. This decision came when he got crushed on a Chemistry exam which “shook his confidence.” Thirty years later at a Cornell Alumni reunion he found out that EVERYBODY flunked the exam. He played shortstop and second base at Cornell and also played shortstop for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1966. He was a member of Sigma Nu (Gamma Theta Chapter).

Any hopes of playing professional baseball were dashed when Fab got drafted by the United States Army which superseded being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and he entered the Army in July 1968. He did Basic Training at Fort Dix, NJ and qualified as an expert on the M-16 automatic rifle and M-14 rifle and later somehow got a badge for being an expert with the M-79 grenade launcher. He served with the 14th Combat Engineer Battalion mainly on Fire Base Nancy in Viet Nam from May 1969 until April 8th, 1970 . He received the Bronze Star , Viet Nam Service, Good Conduct and National Defense Medals along with a Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge. Fab always thought getting the Bronze Star and Good Conduct Medal simultaneously rather humorous but learned not to argue with military logic. He was most proud that the Commanding Officer gave him the title of “Chief Thief” for his ability procure ammunition, vehicles and supplies including liquid refreshments outside of normal channels. President Lincoln once said his Secretary of War was “so crooked that he would steal everything but a hot stove.” Fab stole a pizza oven in Danang and took it back to Firebase Nancy.

After getting out of the Army, he went to work for New York State Government in Albany working in three different state agencies over 33 years. In his last job for the Division for Youth (Juvenile Justice), Bob spent three days a week in New York City (and three nights a week at Meadowlands Race Track) on the State’s dime remarking, “They pay me to do this?” He also did some contract work for the Federal Government. 

No longer able to play competitive team sports, Bob turned his attention to thoroughbred horseracing and soon moved out of Albany to Saratoga County to be closer to the Saratoga Race Track. Upon retirement from New York State Government in December 2002, Bob moved to Altamonte Springs, Florida. He was tricked into becoming the President of the Montgomery Woods Condominium Association in 2007 and found out he was President for Life as nobody else was dumb enough to take over. He maintained his interest in horseracing and qualified to compete in the National Horseracing Championship in Las Vegas in January 2022.

He is survived by his daughter Shawn Loucks of Longwood, Florida; Nephews John S. Fabbricatore, Jr. of Augusta, Maine and Vincent T. Fabbricatore of Buckhannon, WV and niece Maria Andrews of Buckhannon, WV. Bob will be returned to his place of birth, Ithaca, NY and laid to rest with his parents and grandparents.

Final arrangements will be handled by Bangs Funeral Home, Ithaca NY