Bergen County Inventor of Dove Soap Dies at 86

The Bergen County man whose lab work led to the creation of Dove soap and Aim gel toothpaste has died, according to his obituary.

The following obituary for Vincent Lamberti, 86, of Upper Saddle River, is courtesy of the Van-Emburgh Sneider Funeral Home. 

Lamberti died Friday, March 21, after a series of complications from congestive heart failure. 

The youngest son of immigrant parents from Avellino, Italy, he won a scholarship to Yale University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, a member of the Sigma XI Society, eventually earning his Doctorate in Organic Chemistry. 

He worked for 40 years as head of the Research Division for Lever Brothers in Edgewater, NJ, wherein he invented and patented the first non-animal fat detergent soap, now commonly known as "Dove" Soap. He would eventually help invent many popular household items from "Mrs. Butterworth" pancake syrup to the first gel toothpaste, "Aim." 

Dr. Lamberti went on to earn over 140 patents during his career. He was on the cover of The New York Times Magazine as one of America's outstanding young scientists and has also been interviewed by The Bergen Record and The Hudson Dispatch. 

He has written over 2000 patents for other inventors all over the world. 

An all-around genius with a devastating wit, he is survived by his wife, Ileana, to whom he was married for 65 years, both having attended the same high school in Meriden, CT. He is also survived by his daughter Laana and his son Vincent James, four grandsons, William, Dylan, Morgan and Dylan. 

He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.