Robert "Bob" DeRosia

Robert “Bob” DeRosia was born on Christmas Day, 1961, to Larry and Nancy (Arnold) DeRosia in Tehachapi, California. He passed away peacefully at his home in Montrose on December 28, 2024, after a lengthy illness. 

While Bob was still a toddler, the family moved from California to Warren, Pennsylvania where Bob graduated from Warren High School, excelling in sports, particularly baseball. After a few years working in the Pennsylvania oil fields and the lure of bluer skies and wide-open spaces, Bob encouraged the family to move to California where they operated a tackle store on the shores of Lake Isabella and a resort ranch store near Kernville. In 1988, Bob married Faith Fitzgerald of Warren PA, in Wofford Heights, CA, a marriage that brought daughter Nicholette and son Joshua and lasted over 20 years.

Growing up an outdoorsman and sportsman, Bob’s free time was spent in the woods hunting and fishing - throughout Pennsylvania and the Northeast into Canada. Yearly hunting trips into Colorado (Meeker area) became tradition. In California, Bob also found a wild and natural playground for hunting and fishing, especially horse pack trips into the wilderness areas.

Colorado on their minds, in the mid 1990’s, the combined families purchased a small RV park at the base of Blue Mesa Summit near Cimarron. Dawn to dusk hard work by this family developed the Black Canyon Campground and RV Park, a venture maintained in the family for over 25 years. To support the developing campground and his own family, Bob worked as a hunting guide for Alpine Outfitters for many years as well as building cabins and remodeling projects at Arrowhead.

Bob was most proud of the cabins he built at Arrowhead of eastern red cedar, successes from his partnership with Arkansas friends and his company, Cimarron Valley Red Cedar LLC. He enjoyed sports, the Denver Nuggets, baseball, football (the Buffalo Bills), and golf. Bob had many good friends all over the country, from California to the east coast. He loved his children and was always proud of their accomplishments.

He is survived by his sister, Kim (Bud) Retterer of Warren, PA; brother Richard of Montrose; daughter Nicholette DeRosia (Walt) of Independence, OR; son Joshua (Callie) DeRosia of Eugene OR; twin grandsons Archer and Cooper; nephews Jake and Grant Retterer, and close friend Bev Dwire of Montrose. He is preceded in death by his parents, Nancy and Larry DeRosia.

Memorial donations may be made to HopeWest Hospice of Montrose, 725 S. 4th St, Montrose, CO 81401 or Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 5705 Grant Creek, Missoula, MT 59808.