ROBERT STUART WITTMANN (1975-2025)
Robert Stuart Wittmann, of Hingham, Massachusetts, passed away at the young age of 49 on April 27, 2025 due to injuries sustained in an accident in Costa Rica.
“Rob is just the best guy.” That simple sentiment has been echoed countless times by those who knew and loved him. Rob was a kind, caring and gentle soul with a rare gift for making genuine and lasting connections. Endlessly curious, and always present, he often would lean in with a warm, “Tell me more.” Selfless until his final moments, Rob was the first to say “yes” to his family, friends, or teammates in need, and the last to turn out the lights.
Rob grew up in Summit, NJ, with his two older brothers, Charles (“Chip”) and Christopher, and his parents, Dr. Charles (“Chuck”) and Jane Wittmann. Chuck was a highly skilled surgeon at nearby Overlook Hospital and together with Jane, they instilled in Rob a deep appreciation for family, the value of hard work, and a love of sport.
Rob graduated from The Pingry School in 1993 and went on to attend Colgate University, where he proudly played Division I lacrosse and served as president of his fraternity, Theta Chi. Through those experiences, he formed friendships that lasted a lifetime. It was also at Colgate that he first caught the eye of his future wife, Leslie. Their paths formally crossed years later at a homecoming weekend, marking the beginning of a beautiful life together.
After enjoying their early years in New York City, Rob and Leslie married in 2003 and moved to Boston, where Rob earned his MBA from Babson College. In 2009, the couple settled in Hingham, MA, to grow their family and plant lasting roots.
Rob leveraged his creativity and natural ability to understand and connect with people, along with the quantitative skills he developed during his studies, to become an expert marketer. Rob gained experience working on some of Boston’s favorite brands, including City Sports and Dunkin’, and built a deep expertise in ‘digital’, which was rapidly becoming the future of modern marketing. With this vital experience Rob moved to an exciting global brand, W.L. Gore (makers of GORE-TEX), a perfect match for his professional skills and personal interests. There he served as a marketing executive helping to shape the future of the brand’s global digital strategy.
Rob was passionate about all sorts of things. He loved chasing blues and stripers in the Hingham Harbor and beyond; grilling on the beach at sunset on Martha’s Vineyard (always throwing in a few lines just as the birds started diving, and the golden hour set in); discovering new music (obviously keeping classics like the Stones and Toots in rotation); hosting lively dinner parties with friends; and, of course, hiking with his best bud, Sparky, the beloved family Goldendoodle. He was constantly brimming with ideas and inspiration. An entrepreneur at heart, he spent the past few years building Flag Custom Rods, a passion-driven business for which he painstakingly crafted each fishing rod by hand.
But Rob’s greatest passion in life was his children-Toby, Ned, and Lucy. Nothing brought him more pride or joy than being their father and he was incredibly hands-on and supportive from day one. He loved being their human alarm clock each school day, and took great delight in making their breakfast every morning. There was not a request they could make of him (not for material items but for activities that required his time) that he would say no to. He was always up for whatever they wanted or needed to do.
Rob’s love for sports, which began in childhood, remained with him throughout his adult life and extended to his family. In addition to his remarkable athleticism, he possessed enormous patience and a commitment to helping others-qualities that made him an outstanding coach.
An excellent golfer, Rob first taught Leslie to play, and later also Toby, Ned and Lucy. He enthusiastically led every hockey, baseball, and lacrosse team the boys played on. In his final season, he even coached a lacrosse team Ned wasn’t on-just to see through the kids he’d guided for years. He also gave generously of his time to running local youth sports organizations, serving on the boards of Hingham Youth Lacrosse and Hingham Youth Hockey, and most recently as president of Hingham Youth Hockey from 2021 to 2024.
We will forever remember Rob for his humble spirit, bright smile, positive energy, boundless love, passion for life, and unwavering devotion to his friends and family.
Rob was preceded in death by his father, Charles Wittmann, Jr. He is survived by his adoring wife of 21 years, Leslie; their children, Toby, Ned, and Lucy; his mother, Jane Wittmann; his brothers, Chip Wittmann (Heyden) and Chris Wittmann (Hilary); his parents-in-law, Sally and Stephen Harr; his brother-in-law, Gregory Harr (Jackie). He is also survived by his beloved nieces and nephews: Eliza, CJ, and Tyson Wittmann; Crawford, Evie and James Wittmann; and Alex and Ethan Harr.
A private celebration of Rob’s life will be held in June, where friends, family, and colleagues can gather to honor his memory.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Interfaith Social Services in Quincy, MA. (Rob was deeply proud of Leslie’s role in helping to run Interfaith’s food pantry which serves over 1,700 local families each month).