Charles passed on Friday December 13, 2024. He is survived by his four children, Joseph, John (wife, Camille), and children Carla and Briana); James (wife Alexandra and children Christopher and Charlotte); and Charles Jr. (wife, Julie, and children: Diana and Leo).

Charles DeRosa, was born in Brooklyn, New York, in August 1928 to Alfonso DeRosa and Marianna Martorano, His parents immigrated to the United States from Italy aboard the San Guglielmo in April 1912, just a week after the sinking of the Titanic. Alfonso traveled with his older brother, Thomas, and older sister, Concetta. At a young age, Charles faced the loss of his mother and sister. He had one brother, Tom, Charles worked in his father's grocery stores, where he learned Spanish to communicate with customers. He often said, "As long as we had a grocery store, we had food to eat." At 16, he worked in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, spraying asbestos on Navy ship boilers.

At 24, he enlisted in the Navy and served during the Korean War aboard destroyers and submarines. Hos earlier experiences with Spanish earned him a commendation from his commanding officer during his service in the "Caribbean front" of the Korean conflict.

After returning to New York, Charles met Brigid Mary Timmons, who had recently arrived from Ireland. They both worked at Schraff's restaurant in Midtown. When Charles arrived for his shift, Brigid would hard-boil two eggs and serve them with toast. He was smitten, and they soon married, settling in Flatbush and raising four sons: Joseph, John, James and Charles Jr.

Charles was a passionate photographer, often renting out his professional camera gear to others. He shared his love for photography with us, teaching us to "fill the frame" and showing us the beauty of high-contrast black-and-white images. Charles and his four sons spent countless hours in the basement developing prints together, fostering a shared appreciation for capturing beautiful moments.

Though he had a driver's license, Charles rarely drove and never owned a car. Instead, he worked for the New York City Transit Authority, a job that provided him free transportation. He spent many years working in the subway system, enduring harsh conditions that contributed to his hearing loss. Charles worked his way up to the Subway Supervisors Union and had many memorable stories, including one where he cleverly purchased springs for circuit brakers at a discount before revealing he was from the Transit Authority.

Charles later worked for the federal "Voice of America" and the VA system before starting a career with Con Edison (the NYC electric utility). He loved to work and would proudly say, "When I was your age, I worked tree (Three) jobs!" His work ethic, financial stewardship, and sense of responsibility deeply influenced his children.

A lover of travel, Charles tool many trips, both alone and with his family. In 1977, while visiting family in Ireland, he explored mainland Europe on his own. He also took his family on domestic trips, often traveling by Greyhound bus. and had a unique of negotiating hotel prices. He once traveled around the world on a Pan Am " Around the World in 80 Days" ticket, visiting family in London and exploring places like India, where he was saddened and upset about the horrific poverty he saw in India and other places. He also told us the story of how he was in Tehran 6 weeks before the fall of the Shah, Hmmm.

Charles' love of travel extended to destinations such as Croatia, India, Turkey, and numerous different places around the world. He passed this passion on to his children and grandchildren. On weekends, he would take us on adventures to New York's iconic spots, including Central Park, Rockefeller Center, The World Trade Center, and The Empire State Building. He also shared memories of courting Brigid by rowing boats in Prospect Park.

Charles and Brigid loved visiting all their sons and families in New York, Maryland and Ohio. When James and his wife Alex decided to start their family in Ohio, Charles and Brigid visited for at least a week every year. After Brigid passed in 2014, he split his time with John and Charles in Maryland before entering assisted living in 2022.

Charles favorite charity was catholic Relief Services of Baltimore, MD (CRS.org) because their programs help the poor around the world.

We will always cherish his life lessons, his work ethic, and dedication to family. He is dearly missed by his family and all who knew him.