Kingston H. DeRosa
Kingston H. DeRosa, 64, of St. Louis, MO, passed away too soon on July 4, 2021.
Born July 27, 1956, he was the son of the late Leonard and Thelma (Dunne) DeRosa of East Walpole, Massachusetts.
He is survived by his best friend and wife of 37 years, Gayla (Hollada) DeRosa.
King will be greatly missed. He touched the lives and hearts of so many people. He will be remembered for his integrity, his friendship, and his witty sense of humor.
He spent his career in St. Louis with McDonnell Douglas, later The Boeing Company. He was well respected as an intelligent and compassionate leader. Throughout his many years there he loved playing on his company softball and soccer teams.
King’s passion for travel took him to 35 countries and almost every state in the U.S. He never tired of visiting new places and learning new things. King embraced history, nature, animals, and a quest for knowledge. He was also an avid hockey fan.
King had a zest for life and tried to live his to the fullest. Let his life be a beautiful reminder to do the things you love. Don’t wait.
Funeral services will not be held at this time. A celebration of life may be planned at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the Saint Louis Zoo at stlzoo.org/give/tributes or mailed to Saint Louis Zoo Association, PO Box 790090, St. Louis, MO 63179-9896.
King had a huge impact on my life, and will be so dearly missed by me. He, Gayla, and I, sometimes along with other friends, would often get dinner and drinks at various places around the St. Louis area. Meeting him absolutely enhanced my life, bringing such great times full of laughter and joy, to it. I always felt like the son he and Gayla never had, and would find myself anxiously awaiting a text from them, telling me their plans for the night so I could join. I’m sure it seemed odd for a guy in his early 30’s to be hanging out with a couple 30 years older than him, but I can’t even begin to explain the fun we had. My life absolutely will not be the same without him in it, but rest assured, Gayla and I will always remain close, and will have many drinks in his memory. May his soul rest in peace. I’m going to miss you, buddy. Thanks for everything.
I first met King around 1980. He worked for me through several engineering assignments. Those whom he supported thought highly of him, and he was an asset to me in our technology assignment. We reconnected in the early 2000s in the IT organization as colleagues. By then, King was managing an organization of his own, a group of employees who found him to be a capable supervisor who developed his employees and would go to bat for them. In between those two assignments, King and I played softball in the MAC recreational league for many years. While he wasn’t blessed athletically as some of the fellas, he more than made up for that with his fierce sense of competitiveness. King was a smart businessman, but one that had a great sense of humor. He always managed a joke or funny story to lighten the tension that often prevailed. Sometimes his quick wit was tinged with a bit of sarcasm that made his comments all the more meaningful. I am not embarassed to say that King had a special place in my heart, and that I will miss him dearly.
I met Kingston at SLU in the late 70’s and he was a prince among men. A dedicated husband, a bright and motivated student, had a great business career, and enjoyed learning new ideas and adventures. He had a unique sense of humor and brought joy to everyone he met. Please let us know of when his celebration of life event will occur.
I met Kingston after he married my cousin Gayla. He was a welcome member to our family. He was almost caring person. He was Always kind and considerate to everyone. I will miss He when we have our family gatherings of the Poole family.
I do not recall the exact year we first met King and Gayla, but we met through our shared love of Mexican cuisine and passion for the St Louis Zoo. We loved hanging out with them at Bar Louie in Kirkwood on Friday evenings for happy hour. Listening about their vacation adventures and family matters over some cold beers, martinis, and food was always a good time. Dee called King his little brother and we will miss his little brother enormously. Always in our hearts. Love, Dee and Terri Meadows.
Dee wrote these two beautiful poems:
1. Title: Little Brother
Oh little brother, oh King my friend.
It saddens me to see you this way.
Once so strong, but so frail and far away today.
Wanting your freedom from the dark.
You, Gayla, and your friends not knowing your thoughts.
Knowing the glow is still in your heart.
Please come back to us from the dark.
Oh little brother, oh King my friend.
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2. Title: Journey
Gayla, Gayla my love.
I must take this journey alone.
Please know this journey brings me peace.
Always remember our journeys together.
Please make new journeys of your own.
Do not feel alone.
I will always be your King,
and you are my Queen.
Gayla, Gayla my love.
I, like Mike Ferretti above comments, met King around 1980. I also worked with him on many different jobs and assignments. Also played softball and soccer with King for many years. King was a great coworker and friend and will be missed.