Robert Piccoli Obituary

Bayfield Town Board member Robert Lawrence "Bob" Piccoli died Friday, Aug. 28, 2009, in Durango after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 62.

Mr. Piccoli was born April 9, 1947, in Durango to Joe "Tony" and Dora Piccoli and attended Durango public schools. A Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, Mr. Piccoli served on the USS Bennington. After being discharged from the Navy, he graduated from Southwestern Business University in Houston, and began his career working as a drafter, surveyor and landman for several oil and mineral companies.

He traveled for several years before settling in Lakewood, where he married his wife, Clara, on July 17, 1982. He owned and operated Drafting Specialists in Lakewood for 10 years before moving to Bayfield in December 1994 to begin working for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe in Ignacio.

Mr. Piccoli retired from his position as director of construction and project management 10 days before his death. While in Bayfield, he served on the Region 9 Transportation Committee, the Bayfield Planning Commission and as a Bayfield town trustee.

Mr. Piccoli enjoyed music, photography, poetry, hunting and fishing. His music career started in high school, playing the guitar and singing rock music, and continued throughout his life, including part-time participation in numerous bands in Denver and locally.

Family members said he expressed himself creatively by capturing Colorado scenery in black-and-white photography and writing poems, one of which was published in an edition of The World's Most Beloved Poems.

His family said he shared his passion for the outdoors with his children as they grew up, and he will be remembered riding his Harley-Davidson around the area in his American-flag helmet.

He was preceded in death by daughter April Piccoli.

He is survived by his wife, Clara Aspromonte-Piccoli, of Bayfield; sons Scott Eric Piccoli, of Seabrook, Texas, and Jason Lawrence Piccoli, of Anchorage, Alaska; daughters Carrie Lynn Paschall, of Fort Worth, Texas, Michelle Gee, of Phoenix and Nichole Watters, of Fort Worth; sister Dale Ann Csatlos, of Arvada; four grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango. A rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church followed by a memorial Mass at 10 a.m. A reception will follow at the Parish Hall.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to a local Chapter of the American Cancer Society.