Beloved Upper Merion Teacher, 46, Dies During Road Race

UPPER MERION, PA — A beloved teacher, youth volunteer leader, and active member of area running clubs passed away suddenly while running a road race on the 4th of July.

David DeRosa, just 46, was a Lansdale native and a math teacher at Upper Merion Middle School, where he had been inducted into the Wall of Fame for his outstanding work, according to his obituary.

"He was a top notch educator, a devoted husband, a dedicated Dad, a tireless advocate for children and teachers, the ambassador and leader of our 5th grade camping trip, the general manager of our middle school store, an incredible friend," wrote Alice Budno Hope, Upper Merion Area School Board Director for Region 2.

Condolences from across the area came in, remembering DeRosa's "extraordinary" passion for his students, pirate impersonations, distance running, and the community as a whole.

DeRosa was running in a race along the Perkiomen Trail in Schwenksville when he died. According to the Times Herald, his cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

School officials are working on developing a support plan for young students impacted by the loss.

"We recognize how devastating this news will be for our teachers, students, and school community," Adam Slavin, the Upper Merion Middle School Principal, wrote in a letter to parents. "At this time we are working with our Crisis Response Team to develop a plan to offer supports for our students. Additional information will be sent regarding opportunities for students to visit the middle school to meet with our district’s guidance counselors."

The public is invited to DeRosa's celebration of life event on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Upper Merion Middle School auditorium. In keeping with the spirit of DeRosa's dynamic personality, pirate attire, camp T-shirts, and race shirts are all welcome attire at the event.

DeRosa's full obituary, courtesy of Moore, Snear, Ruggerio Funeral Homes, is included below.

David G. DeRosa, 46, of Trappe, PA passed away unexpectedly on July 4, 2018.

Dave was born on May 23, 1972 and was raised in Lansdale, PA. He has been living in Trappe for the past 18 years with his wife of 19 years, Wendy L. (Hall) DeRosa, and his three children, Katie DeRosa, Justin DeRosa and Luke DeRosa.

Dave taught 5th Grade Math at Upper Merion Middle School where he was inducted into the Upper Merion Wall of Fame for his outstanding service. He also devoted much of his time outside the classroom to the College Settlement Camp and the North Penn Boys & Girls Club.

Dave led an extraordinary life, inspiring countless people every day. He brought math to life for his students with his creative lessons, including his custom-made Hippopotamus tie and his 20-foot inflatable whale. He was also known for impersonating a pirate and surprise visits while dressed as a T-Rex or Troll. Dave was passionate about running and competed in a half-marathon, mud-run, 10K or 5K nearly every weekend. He was also active in several local running clubs. He excelled at woodworking and home improvement and always had a project underway at home or at his family's summer home in Maine. Above all else, he devoted his life to his family and giving back in his community.

Dave lived every day to the fullest and he will be dearly missed.

In addition to Wendy, Katie, Justin and Luke, Dave is survived by:

parents, Michael A. & Ellen M. (Kelley) DeRosa of Lansdale, PA;

brother, Michael A. ( & Glenna) DeRosa of Tampa, FL;

mother and father in law, Leonard & Linda Hall of Ocean Pines, MD;

and sister in law, Julie Hall of Newark, DE.

Relatives and friends are invited to the Visitation on Monday, July 9, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Moore, Snear & Ruggiero Funeral Home, 224 W. Main St., Trappe, PA 19426.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, July 10, at 4:00 PM in the Auditorium at Upper Merion Middle School, 450 Keebler Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

Burial will be private in Augustus Lutheran Cemetery, Trappe, PA.

In lieu of flowers, Dave's family would appreciate memorial contributions made to: Dave DeRosa Memorial Fund, College Settlement of Philadelphia, 600 Witmer Rd, Horsham, PA 19044.

Image via Moore, Snear, and Ruggerio Funeral Home