https://www.hartzlerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Robert-Michael-Mochi?obId=28644444
Robert Michael Mochi, age 65, of New Market, MD passed away on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Born April 25, 1958, in Boston, MA, he was the son of Marie Mochi of Worcester, MA and the late Robert Mochi. He was the beloved husband of Barbara Countryman, and they would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in February.
He is survived by his seven children, Mia Mochi, Luca Mochi, Cristo Mochi, Gemma Mochi, Bruno Mochi, Fina Mochi, and Renzo Mochi.
He is also survived by his 3 older sisters Beverly Singer, Joanne Markey, and Sue Reed.
He joined the US Coast Guard in 1976 and resigned in 1978 where he continued his studies at WPI and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1980. He received his Master of Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University in 1988.
After earning his Professional Engineering License in 1987, he went on to launch his own company, R.M. Mochi Group, where he was CEO and President for 13 years. For the next 30 years, Bob continued his career in land development, planning, and engineering with experience in the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. areas.
Bob was an active member of the Frederick community and served on the Board of Directors for the Frederick County Land Use Council for the last 26 years. He served as President for several terms and was on the Board of Directors for the Frederick County Builders Association and the Chamber of Commerce for 8 years. He was also a Director for 3 years on the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
He was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Libertytown and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Frederick and was a dedicated daily communicant.
He enjoyed hiking, camping, being at the beach, coaching and attending multiple sporting events, grilling in his back yard, building and fixing personal projects, growing his business, and spending quality time with his family and friends.
Family and friends will be received at Hartzler Funeral Home-Libertytown, 11802 Liberty Rd., Frederick on Thursday, August 10th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Catholic wake service will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, August 10.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 11 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church of Libertytown, which is located one block north of the Rt 75 and Rt 26 intersection. Father Mattew DeFusco and Msgr. John Dietzenbach will be the concelebrants.
Military interment will follow in St. Peter’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in honor of Bob Mochi to the Sisters of Mary World Villages for Children at https://www.worldvillages.org/donate/
Christine Quedens
Posted to Bob Mochi’s tribute page by Luke Brown and posted here with Luke’s permission:
I recognized Bob on sight for many months before I met him halfway through my first year the Coast Guard Academy. We were all about 18 years old, strangers to one another from all walks of life and different corners of the county. Bob was among the quickest to adapt to our new regimented life, handsome and athletic, he was always the center of any group. His heavily Massachusetts accented voice, though not loud, could not be missed. Like Bob, I am from the Bay State - raised just a couple towns further away from Boston proper – and to my way of thinking, the Massachusetts accent was indicative tough guys generally lacking in education and ambition. It was the hillbilly accent of the north. In truth, I was intimidated by Bob and the ease with which he made friends, and his grace in handling the challenges of the Academy. My prejudices served only to justify my fear of introducing myself.
After maybe six months at the Academy, Ned Semonite introduced me to Bob. I quickly discovered he was one of the most generous, kindest, and friendly people I met while at the Academy. If that wasn’t enough, he was smart as a whip and on the Dean’s list. We became fast friends and I credit Bob with teaching me how to enjoy Academy life. Through him I joined another social circle with classmates Jim Krohn, Keith Gadway, Jeff Cawlfield, Don Jacobson, Robby Ogg and others. Like Bob, this cast of characters chose to leave the Academy for other opportunities. They weren’t quitters as many of us were prone to judge them, but rather they were exceptionally bright and independent young men that saw a life path more clearly than the rest of us.
Just after Christmas break in our third class (sophomore) year, Ned and Bob came to my room and announced that they had decided to leave the Academy. After they left, I stayed up all night thinking and by morning I had decided that I, too, would resign. That’s how inspiring Bob could be, for in those twenty minutes, I once again saw the world as my oyster and stopped thinking of the Academy as a burden I must survive. That evening was the single happiest day in my four years in New London.
I had a change of heart by the end of the week, but Bob’s independence and confidence remained with me. The Academy became much easier from that day forward as I decided to be true to myself and not the artificial life and rules of the Academy.
As I write this tribute to Bob, I find myself regretting that I never told Bob how much he meant in my life; indeed, I have not seen or spoken with him since 1978. I never did track him down, even after the internet made such a thing possible. Not a single year has gone by in the intervening 45 years that I have not thought about Bob and how lucky I was to have known him.
After that first lesson in the absurdity of prejudice, perhaps this is Bob’s last lesson for me; tell those who have changed your life for the better that you appreciate them. I am going to try to do so.
And to Bob, I am sorry for not having told you so.