Waterford music teacher, musician will be missed

Professor Ron DeRoo, a special lecturer at Oakland University, passed away unexpectedly last night at the age of 59.

By CAROL HOPKINS

Stephen Kosinski enjoyed watching his friend and college classmate Ron DeRoo play jazz piano.

“He reveled in his music,” said Kosinski, retired supervisor of performing and visual arts for Waterford School District. “He’d get his shoulders going.

You couldn’t help but smile.”

Kosinski is among the many who are shocked at the news of DeRoo’s death Monday.

DeRoo, 59, a popular Oakland University music lecturer and former Waterford Mott High School music and choir director, most recently taught a course on the history of rock and roll at Oakland University.

He worked for the Waterford School District between 1985 and 2008.

“For anybody who’s been in this building a long time, including me, we are all saddened,” said Craig Blomquist, principal at Waterford Mott High School. “Ron was much loved and much respected.

This is a very sad day for all of us.”

According to a 2011 Oakland Post’s story, DeRoo began playing piano at age 7.

Kosinski said his friend grew up in Dearborn and currently lived in Waterford.

DeRoo graduated from Central Michigan University, specializing in choral music, keyboard and jazz studies.

After college, DeRoo toured with his college band, Freestyle, before enrolling at Oakland University where he received a master’s degree in music in classical piano. Continued...

http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/02/07/news/local_news/doc4f31bde8986c7042402214.txt