Robert T. Healey, Sr. | 1929 - 2021 | Obituary
Viewing
Thursday, Dec 16, 2021
5:00 PM-8:00 PM
Viewing
Friday, Dec 17, 2021
9:00 AM-10:00 AM
Funeral Mass
Friday, Dec 17, 2021
10:00 AM
Robert T. Healey, Sr.
March 17, 1929 - December 9, 2021
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Robert T. Healey, Sr. passed away on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at the age of 92. Beloved husband of Ellen J. (nee Baldino), loving father to his seven children: Lizanne H. Jenkins (Thomas), Christine L. Healey, Caroline H. Adillon, L. Toland Sherriff (Robert), Robert T. Healey, Jr. (Bobbi), M. Alexis Iaccarino (Jonathan) and Leigh H. Hughes (Gabriel), and adored grandfather of his sixteen grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Louise L. (nee Lucas), and his two brothers, Patrick J. Healey and Edward J. Healey. He is survived by his brother William J. Healey, and many nieces and nephews. Born on St. Patrick’s Day in Atlantic City to Patrick J. and Loretta Mabel Healey, Bob attended Camden Catholic High School, St. Joseph’s University, and University of Pennsylvania where he obtained his law degree. After 25 years of a successful South Jersey trial and business law practice, Bob turned his focus to the Viking Yacht Company, which he owned with his brother Bill. Together they grew Viking into the #1 sportfishing yacht manufacturer in the U.S. and the company went on to become the largest manufacturer of sport fishing yachts in the world. But that success may have never been achieved without the determination and perseverance of Bob Healey.
When a federal 10 percent luxury tax was imposed on yachts in 1991, thousands of people were laid off and hundreds of companies went out of business. Viking nearly went bankrupt, closed a plant in Florida and laid off all but 65 of its 1,500 boatbuilders. Bob was instrumental in organizing a national, grass-roots campaign to fight the tax. He took the industry lead, organizing busloads of out-of-work boatbuilders to converge on Capitol Hill for demonstrations, and setting fire to a boat on a barge in Narragansett Bay as a highly effective symbol of protest. The tax was repealed 20 months later in 1993. Bob’s 11th-hour lobbying efforts with Congressman Bill Hughes, who represented N.J.’s Second District, helped secure the votes needed to repeal the Luxury Tax in 1993. With Bill’s help, Bob privately funded the company out of his own savings, allowing Viking to tool up new models. The company came out of the gate running when the tax was finally repealed – and they never looked back.
In the 1950s, his brother Bill joined Bob in the real-estate development business. Among other projects, the two brothers acquired and developed the Bass River Marina in New Gretna, N.J. In 1964 a small, local builder of wooden boats, Peterson-Viking, was having financial trouble, and the brothers agreed to buy the company, changed the name to Viking Yachts, and relocated the business to their property adjoining the marina. The boatbuilding business soon occupied much of their time, so the brothers sold the marina and concentrated on building yachts. Bob was the company lawyer, moneyman and Chief Executive while his brother built the boats. Committed to their mantra to build a better boat every day, Bill and Bob pushed Viking to the pinnacle of their industry with more than 5,000 boats delivered. They successfully steered the company through the ups and downs of economic cycles..
As Viking's Chairman of the Board for 57 years, Bob Healey Sr. diversified their financial interests into multi-family, industrial and commercial real estate, oil and gas exploration and development, and the financial management of the Healey family assets. Together, Bill and Bob Healey achieved many milestones. In 1996, they founded the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA), a non-profit organization formed in 1996 to promote sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine environment. Viking has contributed well over $1 million to the RFA. In that same year, the brothers established Viking Sport Cruisers, a company that has been highly successful distributing British-built, high end cruising yachts, built to Viking's specifications, through its dealer network in North America. Bob, Bill and Pat received the Ernst & Young 1998 New Jersey Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Fifteen years later, the family would earn a second award from Ernst & Young.
Ironically, the Healeys bought back Bass River Marina in 2002 and reopened it as the Viking Yachting Center. They were inducted in 2003 into the National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the marine industry. In honor of their service and commitment to the marine industry for more than a half a century, Bill and Bob were honored with the 2019 IBI-METSTRADE Boat Builder Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted by his son, Bob Jr.
Through the years, Bob received many awards and accolades for his achievements in the marine and business industry, including induction into the NJ Marine Trade Association Hall of Fame; the Rowan University Milestone Award for leadership, practice and commitment to South Jersey communities; and nomination for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Most notably, Bob channeled his financial success into philanthropic interests, which included building schools in impoverished areas of Mexico, and providing housing, medical assistance, education, food and clean water to the people of war-torn Sierra Leone through the Healey International Relief Foundation.
A devout Catholic, Bob brought his extensive business skills to the challenges facing Catholic schools in the U.S. and formed the Healey Education Foundation, which has served more than 120 elementary and high schools across ten dioceses in eight states. With heartfelt dedication to addressing the impact of poverty in Camden, where he had attended Catholic elementary and high school and worked as a young attorney, Bob founded and supported the Catholic Partnership Schools for the benefit of five inner city Catholic elementary schools.
Finally, with his wife Ellen, Bob founded the Gleneayre Equestrian Program for at-risk youth. The program uses the powerful connection between horses and people to support learning, growth, and healing.
For his philanthropic efforts, Bob received the Lewis Katz Excellence in Education Award, the Beacon of Light Award, the Catholic Charities Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio Award for Leadership, an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Scranton University, and the Shield of Loyola Award from St. Joseph’s University.
Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing Thursday, December 16, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at Healey Funeral Home, 9 White Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ, and Friday at 9:00 am at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 642 Market St., Camden, NJ, immediately followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 am. Masks required. In lieu of flowers, Bob requested donations to charities supported by The Robert T Healey, Sr Charitable Trust, which include the Healey International Relief Foundation (https://hirf.net/), the Healey Education Foundation (healeyedfoundation.org), and the Gleneayre Equestrian Program (gepnj.org).