William R. Rohrbach

NORTH HERO - William R. Rohrbach (or Bill ), 79, passed away suddenly on March 1, 2020 at his home in North Hero. He was born on June 12, 1940 in Harrisburg, PA to the late Gertrude Graham and Russell Rohrbach.

Bill was a graduate of John Harris High School in Harrisburg, PA, and still maintained regular contact with his core group of friends there for the rest of his life, an indicator of his dedication and loyalty to those close to him. Bill graduated from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, and joined the US Navy, where he was stationed on an aircraft carrier which annoyingly, none of us can remember the name of, but happened to be of the ships on its way to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This might have been the beginning of his lifelong admiration for John F. Kennedy. After leaving the Navy, Bill joined the Department of the Treasury in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was at this time that he became very interested in a pretty young woman from his apartment complex driving around in a 66 Mustang convertible. Somehow, he eventually worked up the nerve to ask her out, and they ended up hitting it off. Bill and Dolly were married on August 5, 1967.

Bill and Dolly moved to Vermont in 1970, and bought a house in the town of Colchester. They also purchased the second lot available on Savage Point in Carry Bay where they built their beloved summer camp. In November 1970, their daughter Kristin was born, and in August 1973, they had their son, Eric. Over the next few decades they would create many wonderful memories with friends and family spending summers in the islands and enjoying the beauty of Lake Champlain. In 1992, Bill and Dolly made the decision to turn the summer camp into a garage, build a house, and move to North Hero full-time. Bill ultimately worked for the United States Department of the Treasury for 32 years until his retirement in 1994. After retiring, Bill worked several years as a Lister for the Town of North Hero.

Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Bill knows that he was in his element when he was entertaining others and making them laugh. He was well-known for his one-liners, his quick wit, and his endless supply of jokes. Bill always made his house a welcome and warm place for others to stay, and it was a popular destination for many friends from all over the country throughout the year. He was famous for his legendary annual summer parties, which were chock full of amazing food, beer, and classic country music, which in Bills mind, were three of the most important things on Earth. He was also an ardent lover of German Shepherd dogs, which he had six of throughout his life. All of these dogs were treated as extended members of the family; Bills unconditional love for his dogs was passed on to his two children. Bill was an avid fisherman, and spent many countless hours with his comrades on Lake Champlain. One of his favorite things to do on his birthday weekend was to take part in the Lake Champlain International Fishing Derby with his close friends and then host a fish fry to share the spoils of the hunt on the following Monday. His happy place was a summer day on the deck with a drink, looking out at the lake and keeping watch over Carry Bay. His other happy place was Costco, which Bill developed a borderline obsession with in his senior years. Every Wednesday, rain or shine, like clockwork, he would meet his friend Bob for a sausage sandwich followed by a perusal of the isles to find the latest deals. The amount of money and time that Bill spent at Costco cannot be overstated.

Lake Champlain will never be the same without Bill, and he will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and the North Hero community.

He is survived by his wife, Doris Rohrbach of North Hero, his son, Eric Rohrbach and his wife CeCe Rohrbach of New Gloucester, Maine, his granddaughter, Sofie Westra and son-in-law Jay Westra of North Yarmouth, Maine, his sister, Margaret Cook, and niece, Susannah Cook of both of Northampton, PA. Bill also enjoyed spending with his cousins from New York at their annual family reunions. In addition to his parents, Bill is predeceased by his daughter, Kristin Westra, of North Yarmouth, Maine

A celebration of Bills life is scheduled to take place on June 13, 2020, details will be announced soon.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to donate can give to Grand Isle Rescue Service, who were an enormous help to Dolly during this tragedy.

Condolences, photos and favorite memories may be shared through www.gossfs.com