Obituary of Robert J. Wieda

Robert J. Wieda, 65, of New York City, passed away suddenly in his Manhattan apartment while working at his computer. He suffered an apparent heart attack. His passing was completely unexpected, and his family is profoundly shaken and deeply saddened by our loss. Robert (R.J. to his family, Bob to his colleagues at work) was born on April 21, 1958 to Robert Wieda and Marilyn Biro. He was the oldest of four children. R.J. was an awesome photographer, an incisive student of politics, a lover of art and music, a builder of homes and one might say, a computer "techie." He also had a beautiful smile and a wonderful sense of humor. R.J. loved his family and was always quick to help in any way he could. He was generous almost to a fault. He had a wonderful sense of humor, which revealed itself in various ways, in his playful kidding, his whimsical photography, and his ironic reflections on current events. As one of his cousin's commented, "R.J. was a rare gem who could send anyone into stitches of laughter, even when in their darkest moments." His love of music, art, and literature was broad and deep. He loved listening to the classical composers Bartok and Beethoven as much as he liked listening to the sophisticated, progressive rock artists Porcupine Tree and Tool. He frequently attended concerts at the New York Philharmonic with family, and gave generously to cultural institutions throughout the five boroughs. R.J. was a phenomenal photographer. He had a keen eye for composition; his best work was often imaginative in its juxtaposition of subjects, or ironic in tone. He liked photographing various subjects, and using new equipment, lenses or filters. He often posted his work, which can be found on google and other media sites. As a Project Manager for Monadnock Construction, for the past 23 years, R.J., along with his coworkers built affordable apartment buildings in all five boroughs of New York. He was very detail oriented, attending to every matter, no matter how small. He always set high standards. R.J. was very proud of this work, as he should be. His work addressed a profound need for all New Yorkers, affordable housing. R.J. also built his own home server that he called 'big iron." When not relaxing to music, watching a classic film (the Good, the Bad and the Ugly was one of his favorites), taking pictures, or hanging out with family, you would find R.J. learning a new computer language, or testing different software interfaces. He loved working with computer hardware and software as much as he loved photography. His departure comes as a great shock. He will be missed by his sisters, Robin and Rene, his brother Rick; his aunts Diane, Elizabeth (there are two), Kathy and Pauline; his uncle Chris, and numerous other family members and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the charity of your choice. Memorial Visitation will be Friday, February 9 from 2-5PM and 7-9PM at Edward D. Lynch Funeral Home, Inc, 43-07 Queens Boulevard, Sunnyside, NY.