Dr. Robert A. Marciniak

Dr. Robert A. Marciniak

On Tuesday, July 14th, 2026, Dr. Robert A. Marciniak, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away in Sarasota, Florida while staying with his daughter, at the age of 87.

Bob was born on July 3rd, 1939 in Watkins Glen, New York to Adam and Lucy Marciniak. He is survived by his son Adam (Alisa) and their children Alex and Alivia; his daughter Catherine (Kevin) and their children Ally, Connor, Max, and Hannah; and his son Matthew (Julia) and their children Anneke, Hannah, and Alena. He was predeceased by his brother, Ted, and reunited in passing with his beloved wife of over 50 years, Judith "Judy" Marciniak.

A gifted scholar-athlete, Bob graduated high school as salutatorian of his class, excelling in football, basketball, and baseball -- accomplishments that would later earn him induction into the Watkins Glen Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. He went on to Cornell University, graduating in 1961, where he had participated in ROTC, before earning his medical degree from Temple University Medical School in 1965 and ultimately choosing to return to Watkins Glen as a general practitioner and primary care doctor.

Bob served his country on active duty from 1964 to 1970, rising to the rank of Major, and was deployed as a flight surgeon to Vietnam, where he survived the Tet Offensive and was awarded the Bronze Star, the Army Air Medal for meritorious service while in flight, and the Army Commendation Medal.

Bob grew up on 8th Street in Watkins Glen, just a block from the girl he would one day marry, Judy Roberts of 7th Street -- the two having known each other since the 8th grade. Bob and Judy married on July 10th, 1964, and built a life together that carried them across the country and back again -- Philadelphia, El Paso, Colorado Springs, and eventually home to Watkins Glen, before retiring to split their time between Lakeland, Florida in the winters and Watkins Glen in the summers.

As a doctor, Bob dedicated his career to caring for others, keeping regular office hours while also carrying Schuyler County Hospital emergency room responsibilities and medical rounds, where he served as Chief of Medicine. People would reach out to him daily, at all hours and in every setting, to ask his advice or simply to thank him for the care he'd given a family member, a friend, or themselves -- care they felt had genuinely extended their quality of life. He was one of the last doctors in the area to still make house calls, carrying his iconic black alligator-skin doctor's bag and stethoscope to bring relief to those who couldn't otherwise get care in the remoteness of Schuyler County.

Bob leaves behind a legacy that lived out the oath framed on the wall of his office -- a life spent easing the suffering of others and placing their welfare above his own, carried through in the classroom, on the field, in his practice, in service to his country, and above all, in his devotion to his family.

Friends and family will gather at 11AM on August 11th, 2026 at St. Mary's of the Lake in Watkins Glen for a Mass, followed by a celebration of his life at Seneca Lodge.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that, in honor of a man who spent his life helping others as a doctor, you consider a donation to the charity of your choice supporting the search for cures to medical ailments, in the name of Dr. Robert A. Marciniak.