City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Robert Wolf
Cary, North Carolina
Age 75.
Died 01/17/2026.
He is survived by his beloved wife of more than fifty-four years, Maria Rita Wolf, whom he married on November 20, 1971. Together, they built a life filled with partnership, laughter, exploration, and unwavering loyalty. He is also survived by his son, Craig Wolf, and his granddaughters, Samantha Wolf and Allie Hayes, each of whom brought him immense joy. Robert is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Dolores, and by his son Eric Wolf, who passed on October 13, 2006, and whom he now rejoins in peace.
Robert was a proud veteran of the United States Army Reserve from February 1971 to June 1976, and he carried that sense of duty and respect for service members throughout his entire life.
Professionally, Robert dedicated more than fifty years to the chemical coatings industry. His deep expertise, earned through decades of commitment, included highly specialized certifications from the National Association of Corrosion Engineers—credentials he worked hard for and treasured. His colleagues, both in the United States and abroad, respected him not only for his technical mastery but for his mentorship, humor, and friendship. Many considered him the kind of professional who elevated everyone around him.
Robert believed strongly in giving back. Over his eight years of volunteering with the Raleigh USO chapter, he gave more than 500 hours in support of service members and their families and could often be seen leading food and clothing drives on their behalf. He was a constant, welcoming presence at the Raleigh International Airport USO center, greeting travelers with warmth and kindness. Service was, for him, both a calling and a joy.
Community life mattered deeply to him. At Carolina Preserve in Cary, North Carolina, he was active in numerous clubs and especially delighted in being embraced as an honorary member of the Italian American Club, a role he cherished through his marriage to Maria. He loved playing bocce ball with his friends, valuing the camaraderie as much as the game itself.
Robert and Maria shared a rich life of travel, collecting memories across the world. They visited South Africa and Germany while their son worked abroad, indulged in safari adventures and lively beer halls, experienced European river cruises, and even learned to make pizza in Italy. In their later years, they found a special joy in disco-themed cruises, drawn by nostalgic performances from the artists of their generation—including the late radio legend known as “The Geator with the Heater,” Jerry Blavat. These trips became cherished highlights, full of music, dancing, and shared delight.
He held a lifelong affection for the shore, especially the peaceful beauty of Cape May, where he loved walking the beach and gazing out over the Delaware Bay. He was an unwavering fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, proudly setting his phone’s ringtone to the famous fight song.
Above all, Robert will be remembered for his kindness. He had a rare gift—an instinct to see people without judgment and to offer warmth freely. Those who knew him speak of his generosity, his humor, and the steady goodness he brought into every space.
He was greatly loved, loved greatly in return, and will be missed every single day. He now walks with his Creator and is reunited in peace with his parents and with his son, who preceded him in death.
Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life Funeral Mass on January 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Mother Teresa Catholic Church, 1125 Mother Teresa Drive, Cary, NC 27519. Those wishing to share their condolences may write to Maria Wolf, c/o Craig Wolf, 605 Aylestone Drive, Cary, NC 27519.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations made in Robert’s honor. Those wishing to contribute may consider the following organizations that reflect his lifelong commitment to service members and their families:
USO (United Service Organizations)
Donations in Robert’s name can be made through the USO’s official giving page:
https://www.uso.org/donate
Wounded Warrior Project
Contributions supporting wounded veterans may be made here:
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$1596.75
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation with a private family viewing. A private family viewing allows up to 10 immediate family members or friends to spend time with a loved one when a public visitation is not preferred.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home offers Alkaline Hydrolysis. The Alkaline Hydrolysis process uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.