Donato Robert Buccini died peacefully at home Sunday morning, August 29th, 2021. He was 78 years old. Bob was born in Philadelphia, PA to Mary (Mariani) and Donato Francis Buccini. Bob grew up in Germantown where he attended St. Madeleine Sophie grade school. He graduated from Lasalle College High School, Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1966, and Villanova University with a Master’s of Science, Structural and Civil Engineering in 1968. In 2004, Bob received an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from Goldey-Beacom College.
After meeting Bernadette Erminia DeSeta on a blind date, they married in 1967 and went on to share a 54 year long loving partnership in life and business.
Bob, along with Bernadette, led the Edward J. DeSeta Company Inc. into one of the largest commercial and industrial HVAC contractors and engineers in the Philadelphia region. Bob was actively involved with the Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local #19 for his entire professional career. He served the Local #19 as the Chairman of the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for Pennsylvania and Delaware, a position he held for 16 years, and was the management trustee for its Pension Fund for 14 years. Bob was also a longtime member of numerous professional and engineering organizations, including ASHRAE, Delaware Association for Professional Engineers and SMACNA. Until the time of his death and throughout his entire career he was singularly dedicated to his profession.
Bob was a man of deep faith, hard work, humility and curiosity. He loved being Roman Catholic and was proud of his Italian immigrant roots. He could be found at Sunday mass with his family, if not in the office. Despite his own personal accomplishments, his greatest joys were the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. He was, by any measure of the word, authentic.
Bob was a longtime member of both the Saint Anthony of Padua and St. Joseph on the Brandywine parishes. Bob received the Monsignor Reese Award at the Catholic Charities annual tribute dinner in 2018 in recognition for his “lifelong commitment to community service, most especially to make the City of Wilmington and surrounding area a better place to live, work and play. Without question, [Bob] models Monsignor Reese’s commitment to the most vulnerable.”
Bob is survived by his wife and partner, Bernadette; his two sons Robert (Beth) and Christopher (Mati); his seven grandchildren Claudina, Josephine, Tomás, Virginia, Balthazar, Roberto and Shepherd; his loving sister Adeline; sister-in-law Enza; and nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his loving brother Amadio.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Gary Crooks, M.D. and Dr. Lynn Schuchter, M.D. who led his fight against Metastatic Melanoma cancer.
A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 4pm at St. Anthony’s of Padua Church, 901 N DuPont Street, Wilmington, DE 19805. The mass will be streamed live on YouTube. Those wishing to view the live stream should visit https://sapde.org and click on the YouTube banner at the top of the page. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions in Bob’s memory to support The Ministry of Caring (www.ministryofcaring.org or by check mailed to 115 East 14th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801) or Penn Medicine’s Tara Miller Melanoma Center (www.PennMedicine.org/giving/TMMC or by check payable to “Penn Medicine” mailed to Penn Medicine Development, Attn: Kelly McBride, 3535 Market Street, Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104).
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