D. Robert “Bob” Sertell, 71, of Vineland, N.J., passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at Cooper Medical Center after a battle with cardiac illness. Sertell was a graduate of Vineland High School and received an honorary doctorate from Cornell University. He was a vending teacher at Delsea Regional High School, an instructor at Atlantic County VoTech, and wrote several training manuals for the vending industry. Known as “Father Slots”, he was the assistant director of technical instruction at Casino Career Institute for 17 years before opening his own business Casino Horizons Corp. He worked with many government and state agencies as an expert witness for illegal gambling devices. Sertell was active with the Tin Can Sailors, enjoyed gathering U.S. Navy memorabilia, and collected and restored clocks from around the world.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Robin and Robert Reese, grandchildren Adelaide and Nathaniel Lessord, feline companions Scotch and Bourbon and many family and friends.
A graveside military service will be held Friday, May 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cumberland County Veterans Cemetery, Trench Road, Bridgeton. Memorial contributions may be made to the Association of Destroyer Veterans in the memory of D. Robert Sertell (DD-722), Tin Can Sailors Inc.- DMGP, P.O. Box 100, Somerset, Mass., 02726.
