Robert

Byrne

Robert Byrne, City Clerk of Jersey City for 31 years, passed away peacefully in his home on May 19, 2023 after a ten-month battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Born at Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital to Andrew and Cecelia Byrne, Robert was a Jersey City kid from the day he was born. He was the youngest of six children and grew up quickly, working in his mother's candy store from the time he was in grammar school.

He attended St. Joseph's Grammar School, Hudson Catholic High School, Dickinson High School, and St. Peter's College. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science with a Sociology minor. Following graduation, Robert began working in the clerk's office in 1982 and then the mayor's office, where he spent several years before ascending to the position of city clerk in 1989. During his tenure as clerk, Robert attended over 1,700 evening council sessions, handled 150 Election Day results, and signed over 50,000 marriage licenses.

In 1990, Robert married his soulmate, Debbie, in Hawaii. They had their daughter, Tina, in 1999. He was very proud of being a father and spent many nights and weekends coaching his daughter's basketball and softball teams or just being involved in his daughter's life. He loved his wife and daughter immensely and spent as much time as he could possibly spend with them. They were "his girls".  He was also an avid saltwater and freshwater fisherman and was incredibly passionate about nature, music, basketball, golf, and his family. He enjoyed going to concerts and sharing his passions with many friends and family who supported him throughout his life and career.

Robert was and will forever be remembered as the best father, husband, brother, cousin, uncle, friend, and City Clerk the State of New Jersey has ever seen. No one who met him could deny his passion for his work, his intellect and incredible memory, unending kindness to everyone he met, and undying love for his family, most especially his wife and daughter.

Robert is pre-deceased by his father, Andrew; his mother, Cecelia; his brother, Paul; his brother, Andrew; his brother Dennis; and his sister, Kathy.

He is survived by his wife and daughter, the two other sides of what he lovingly called "his triangle."  His also leaves behind his eldest sister, Barbara, her husband Thomas Donnelly and many nephews and nieces.