Robert "Bob" Stephan

It is with a broken heart, deep sadness and sorrow that the family of Robert “Bob” Stephan announce his peaceful passing, surrounded by family and love on Sunday October 25, 2020 at the age of 66 years, in Sarasota, Florida. He will forever be lovingly remembered by his partner Marie Mago, brother’s William (Sally Nolan), Michael (Carol) and Jeffery Stephan. The Rosi family; Charlotte Rosi, Peter Rosi, and Bob’s brothers Peter, Dave (Lorie) and Tim Rosi (Kelly) and sisters, Angela (Tim Buete) and Barbara (James Helms) Rosi along with many nieces and nephews. Bob would have wanted his furry friend and pet Angora rabbit Thumper mentioned. Thumper has been with Bob and Marie these last few years and Bob loved him so. Bob was predeceased by his parents, Robert and Dolores Stephan, grandparents Angela and Joseph Kot and nephew Benjamin Rosi. Born in Des Plaines, Il in 1954 on the first day of Spring. Bob was the oldest of 4 boys. Growing up in Glenview, Illinois those early years were all about staying outside in the summer all day playing in the neighborhood, pickup games in the front yard, and family vacations in Florida and California. He spent a lot of time visiting his parent’s local restaurant, The Intimate Wick, where his grandmother worked and fed him lunch on a regular basis and the family motel, the Lantern Motel. After his parents passed away, Bob at age 12, and his younger 3 brothers moved into Oak Park, Il to join families with the Rosi family. The Stephan and Rosi families united and ultimately totaled 9 children. Bob was grateful and always loved the combined family. Bob’s extended family was Marie Mago’s family, originally from Melrose Park, IL. The Mago family; Marie’s parents Frank (deceased) and Josephine Mago, brothers Frank (Sue), Don (Bonnie), Lou (Maria) and sisters Joanne (Bob Deprizio), Barb (Joe Hansen) and all their children, who all loved Bob. Marie’s mother Josephine Mago, and sister Barb were especially close with Bob. He lovingly referred to Mrs. Mago as “Trixie”. Only Bob could get away with that. He spent many a wonderful Holiday in Marco Island, Fl with the entire Mago family and on their return for their Chicago vacations, he and Marie would stay with the Mago family in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Bob finished up grade school at Oliver Wendall Holmes School in Oak Park, attended San Rafael military Academy in California and then graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1972. In the neighborhood pick-up basketball games at Holmes, he was known for his game and his fade away jump shot. He loved playing baseball and softball. He made many lifelong friends in his years in Oak Park and was a good and loyal friend throughout his life. Bob had many 50 plus year friendships, which tells you a lot about him right there. Early on Bob loved to travel and especially loved warm weather and palm trees. He stared to travel right out of High School, starting with trips to Florida, Colorado and California. He continued to travel throughout his life. He loved the island life in Boca Grande, Florida, the surf in Ocean Beach, California and the beach community in Siesta Key, Florida. He ultimately settled in Siesta Key, Fl where he has lived for the last 18 years. Bob was the pioneer for the Siesta Key, Sarasota Fl area among friends and family and since his arrival, many of his friends have visited and then relocated to the Siesta Key, Sarasota Fl area. That continues today as more and more people are relocating to the area who have a connection to Bob. He always led the way on fun and living in a place of beauty. Bob was that very rare individual who was the full package. He was handsome, had a magnetic personality, a big and loving heart and a million-dollar smile that lit up the room. He was the life of the party and he made friends easily. Part of the measure of a person is how friends and family describe you over your lifetime. Just some of the many tributes to Bob include, “he loved everyone”, “he had that million-dollar smile”, “Bob never held a grudge”, “he was a free spirit”, “easy going and lived large”, ‘the biggest and most loving heart”, “he was a lover not a fighter”, “he was the social director ”. How many times has it been said, “What a great guy”, too many to count! Bob lived his life the way he wanted to, period. He knew what he wanted and once he made up his mind, he could not be influenced. He lived for the moment and did not worry about the future. He lived large and enjoyed his life. He lived many years in the years he lived. Everyone who knew Bob said he was a natural born Social Director. Whenever friends or family were coming to town to visit him and Marie, he would have the entire length of your stay planned with the best restaurants, the most fun drinking establishments, and the best bands to dance to. In fact, even when he could not make it himself, he would still arrange the entire get together, make the reservations, call all his friends and family and then call several times over the evening after the party started to make sure everyone was having a great time. He would do this even from out of state. He loved music and from the first time he saw live music, that began a lifelong love affair. He was always searching locally for live music wherever he lived. Just about every weekend it seemed, he would get people together to go dance and party to some great rock and roll dance bands. I should mention, every girl wanted to dance with him. Whether he was hosting the party or a guest, Bob was always the life of the party. Getting together with friends and family was what he loved to do, it is what made him tick. He was great in the kitchen or on the grill and as friends and family can attest to, Bob always put on the greatest spread of food. He would turn any occasion into a great meal and a party. Some of his favorites were beef tenderloin, filet rare, lobster, king crab legs, stone crab claws, scallops, shrimp cocktail with his homemade cocktail sauce and mashed potatoes like grandma used to make. He would call Sally regularly to talk and discuss recipes. When he went out to eat, he loved fine dining with a water view, the closer to the water the better. It was a white tablecloth restaurant or nothing. This he picked up from his parents, Bob and Dolores who were restaurateurs. As one of his great friends said, “Bob was a bon vivant who loved to hold dinner parties and serve exquisite, elaborate meals”. He worked as a waiter for many of the years he lived in Florida. In his black and whites with his cummerbund about his waist, sweat gathered on his forehead and his rosy cheeks, easy and graceful he would work his tables. After he retired from being a waiter, Bob worked at building maintenance and light remodeling jobs. Bob absolutely loved Christmas time and was a fanatic about stringing up lights inside in every room of his house and outside on every available tree, bush and even the stairway. He always had a fresh cut Christmas tree that went floor to ceiling and was decorated to perfection. He had too many singing, dancing, animated Christmas decorations to list. His home was a Christmas wonderland every year. He loved driving in Siesta Key showing us all the Christmas lights during the annual Christmas light competition on the Key. Bob loved the Chicago Cubs and when the cubs were playing, he would always answer the phone, “don’t tell me the score, I have the game taped”. He talked Cubs baseball with Mrs. Mago and many friends and family members over the years. Horseshoes, pool and Polish Rummy were his games. He rarely lost at these games and if a wager were involved, it would usually end up in his pocket. Many people had to admit to defeat when playing Bob at those games. He loved playing cards and those who played with him knew they had better bring a bag of quarters for Polish Rummy. He watched all his sports from his 75” TV. He always subscribed to more channels and always had the biggest TV of anyone we knew. Even way before big TV’s became popular, he had the biggest TV around. Besides sports he liked the old TV shows like Gunsmoke, The Rifleman and in movies he liked westerns, especially Tombstone. Then there were the Hallmark movies. He watched them all through the Christmas season and would tell us his favorites so we could watch them too. He was a big softy. He could have been a professional handicapper. He loved watching sports and was always up on baseball (his favorite) and football. He had many friends he would bet with on various sporting games throughout the year and they would sometimes get frustrated, because he usually won. Bob was larger than life. One of my favorite images of Bob is, picture this, Bob driving a red Chrysler LeBaron convertible with the top down, black interior, his dark hair blowing in the wind, wearing a big bright Hawaiian shirt, music emanating from the speakers and his million-dollar smile lighting the way as would drive up on Siesta Key. Some of his favorite bands were Marshall Tucker Band back in the day, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Allman Brothers and Michael Bublé. His favorite motorcycles were his Triumph and his Honda Gold Wing Motorcycles. He picked up his Goldwing from his brother Peter. He will be forever missed by his dear friends in the Chicagoland area, Southern California, Boca Grande FL and Siesta Key Fl. Some great lessons Bob taught us was not to hold a grudge or to hold resentment for some perceived transgression. He really had love in his heart for all people. To Bob, life was too short to get caught up in the nonsense and the drama. He felt you should live your life as you see fit, and make sure your living the life you want to, to the best of your ability. The only way to fill the big hole in our hearts is for Bob's big extended family with many brothers, sisters and dear friends to fill them with the memories and the many great Bob stories, over time. There are so many of them! He loved you all. He will be forever loved and close to our hearts. See you down the road Bob. As Bob would say, “Who loves ya baby”. Vaya con dios

Tributes

Robert "Bob" Stephan

October 25, 2020