This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Samarotto, Hoffman, Vercelli, Marvin Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3FC.2ACI/2187 Message Board Post: Friday, January 10, 2003 Robert L. Samarotto, 69 Robert (Bob) L. Samarotto, 69, a former UW-River Falls professor and father of Hudsonite Janet (Mark) Hoffman, died Wednesday, Jan. 1, in San Francisco, Calif., where he was visiting during the holidays. The son of Louis and Rita (Vercelli) Samarotto, he was born May 3, 1933, in New York. He completed his undergraduate work at the State University of New York, Fredonia, his master’s degree in music at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and did further postgraduate work at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1962 he began teaching music and humanities at UW-River Falls, retiring in 1990. Music, poetry, fly-fishing and gardening were his lifelong work and play. He was a performing member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera and the Zeitgeist Ensemble, frequently touring Europe and the United States. In addition, he served as music director for the Guthrie Theater, recorded for Sony Classics, OO Records and New Albion Records, and was the recipient of numerous grants. As a poet, he collaborated with composers and visual artists. His poems have appeared in a variety of publications and are widely distributed in notecard format. Surviving besides his daughter Janet Hoffman are a son, Paul Samarotto of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; two grandchildren, Timothy and Joshua Hoffman; and his life partner, Patrice Marvin of River Falls. A music scholarship has been established in his name. Contributions may be made to “The UW-River Falls Foundation, Bob Samarotto Music Scholarship,” UW-RF Foundation, 410 S. Third St., River Falls WI 54022. A memorial gathering is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 25. Details will be published next week. © 2003 Hudson Star-Observer - Reposted by permission http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=87&SectionID=3&SubSectionID=54&S=1