ROBERT ALLEN ROSEVEAR

1915-2012. Robert Allen (Bob) Rosevear passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at the Cloisters Retirement Community in DeLand, Florida at the age of 96 years. Robert was born July 9, 1915 in East Orange, New Jersey, the middle son of Morris B. and Frances (Opie) Rosevear. Growing up in Bloomfield, NJ, he worked as a lifeguard and played in local dance bands with his two brothers. Robert graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY with a BA in history in 1937. He earned a MA (1938) and Master of Music (1939) degree from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. At Cornell, Bob met Clara H. Rhodes, a fellow student and the daughter of a Cornell engineering professor. They were married in Ithaca in 1939. A job teaching music in the Maplewood-Richmond Heights school district took Bob and Clara to St. Louis, MO where their son Frederick was born in 1942. In 1946 Robert accepted a position that would shape his career as a teacher of music. He was hired by the University of Toronto in Canada to help establish programs to train teachers of instrumental music in Canadian schools. He was Professor of Music and the band director at the University of Toronto until his retirement in 1972. Bob played the French horn professionally and his academic position took him throughout Canada evaluating the performance of young musicians. He was an active member of the American Bandmasters Association. Bob was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Western Ontario. Bob and Clara traveled around the world and made several trips to Africa where he expertly photographed the wildlife and learned enough Swahili to politely interact with the local people. Retirement brought Bob and Clara to DeLand, Florida to be near Clara's mother. They were fortunate to spend over 35 active years together in DeLand. They established relationships with Stetson University, the Museum of Florida Art and the First Presbyterian Church. Robert conducted the DeLand Little Symphony. Bob and Clara were especially active Cornell University alumni, Bob wrote the Class of 1937 alumni news column for many years and both were involved in fund raising programs. Clara Rosevear died in 2007. Robert eventually moved into the Cloisters of DeLand retirement community where he found comfort among old friends and made many new ones. Bob's brothers, Francis and Edward, predeceased him. He is survived by his son Fred (Joyce) of Madison, Wisconsin. The care and advocacy of his dear friends, Jim Dreggors and Jackie North, allowed him to live a comfortable life in DeLand. Robert Rosevear requested that no formal services be held. The family of Robert Rosevear would like to thank the staff of the Cloisters of DeLand, the staff of Dreggors, Rigsby & Teal, P.A., those who cared for Bob at Ridgecrest and at the Cloisters, Patient Angels, Visiting Angels and Vitas Hospice, Daytona Beach. Memorials may be made to: First Presbyterian Church, DeLand, FL, Kiwanis Club of DeLand Scholarship Fund, DeLand, FL, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. Online condolences may be made at www.allensummerhillfuneralhome.com.
Allen-Summerhill DeLand is in charge.