Robert Stoddard Weiss died peacefully at his home in Oak Bluffs on Dec. 3 after a battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 81.

Robert was married to Sylvia L. (Day) Weiss for 54 years and they enjoyed their time together by traveling the world. He was born in Rockville Centre in New York on Oct. 26, 1931 and grew up in Freeport on Long Island. He was the son of Herman R. Weiss and Marjorie Marie (Johnson) Weiss.

After graduating from high school and receiving his associate’s degree in animal husbandry, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean conflict and was discharged in 1954.

Upon returning to the United States, he trained and obtained his pilot’s license in 1956. He was flying for Northeast Airlines, which was subsequently taken over by Delta Airlines in the 1970s, for whom he flew until his retirement in 1983. He was a member of the Eureka Masonic Lodge in Bethel, Conn.

He lived between Hobe Sound, Fla. in the winters and Martha’s Vineyard in the summers, where he was a licensed Coast Guard captain and held fishing charters on his boat, Summer’s Lease. Robert enjoyed gardening, fishing and was known to always lend a hand to help fix just about anything and to give back.

He and Sylvia traveled extensively and lived in numerous parts of the world.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Richard of Ridgefield, Conn. and Stephen of Darien, Conn.; and three grandchildren, Taylor-Lynn Weiss, Kenny and Robert Weiss. The funeral service will be private. Donations may be made in his memory to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home. An online guest book is available at cccgfuneralhome.com.