Vincent De Rosa, Huntington artist, 72

Vincent De Rosa was an artist who found the most happiness among nature, conjuring up ideas from his imagination with a vision that only he could see, according to his family.

"Creativity in itself seems to be such an internal thing, and I think it took him many years to understand what was going on in his head," said his brother David De Rosa, 60, of Melville. "I think we all have these internal gifts, and too many of us pack them away and just ignore them until it's too late. Vincent made those gifts a priority."

A Huntington resident, Vincent De Rosa died of kidney cancer on July 26 after being diagnosed in August 2022.

De Rosa was born on Feb. 11, 1951, in Rocky Point. After moving to Huntington at age 7, he became a skillful runner, finishing his senior year at Walt Whitman High School with a cross-country championship in 1972. The championship flag can still be seen in the high school's gym. He went to college in Florida on a running scholarship.

"Vincent lived a simple life. He was a bit of a hermit, but he was always so handy and helpful. You could give him any project and he would handle it or give an answer on how to fix it," said his sister Diana De Rosa, 73, of Huntington.

Vincent De Rosa built his own vegetable garden and maintained an organic diet. He enjoyed being outdoors, playing sports and occupying his time in nature, and used natural elements for his art — much of his work was made from wood or rock.

"He liked to work with his hands on all different mediums; he never wanted to be rude to one medium," said another sister, Susan Saccardi. "He was a lifetime learner."

According to his family, De Rosa spent years on his work, much of which was donated. For example, his 6-foot-tall horse sculpture composed of horseshoes — which may have been inspired by his parents' Long Island horse farm — was donated to Hofstra University.

"He was a natural artistic talent, and if someone showed appreciation for his art, he gave it to them," Diana De Rosa said.

Vincent De Rosa's longtime friend Tish McCrea, 58, will always remember the conversations she had with him.

"I loved the fact that he and I could talk about anything, and for hours at a time," said McCrea, of Huntington. "We would delve deep into spiritual/philosophical conversations and nothing was too strange or weird to ponder. He loved to give useful advice, even to strangers."

De Rosa would want to be remembered for his art, according to McCrea.

"He seemed most proud of his sculptures and I know that working with his hands gave him joy," she said.

And although De Rosa lacked formal artistic training, his brother said that "what you saw came indeed from the inside of his brain."

"His legacy is to remind all of us to put aside some time to see where your brain leads you," David De Rosa said.

Along with his sisters Diana and Susan and brother David, Vincent De Rosa is survived by another sister, Donna De Rosa, and another brother, Peter De Rosa. 

His remains were cremated.