Robert de Rochemont

Robert Daniel de Rochemont, Sr, 86, of Gainesville, Florida, passed away Monday, March 31, 2025 at Charter Senior Living Center where he was in residence for the last year.
Bob was born in Exeter, NH, on July 7, 1938 to Wallace Charles de Rochemont and Dora Barnaby de Rochemont.

As a young man, Bob was very popular, joining various clubs and organizations in school. While he was still in high school in NH, he pre-enlisted in the Navy and upon graduation went directly into service as a submariner. After two years, he was handpicked as part of the commissioning crew of a brand new class of submarine, the SSN-585 Skipjack, the world’s first “Fast Attack Nuclear Powered Submarine”. While at sea, his only child, Robert, Jr, was born.

Following military service, he became a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, and unlike most he made a career out of it and 16 years later he opened his own store type concept in Gainesville, Florida, which is still successfully operating today as National Vacuum.

Always an avid fitness buff, he was a cyclist which he did on a daily basis pedaling an average 8 to 12 miles per day. In younger years, he played golf and tennis and has always enjoyed social dancing and continued dancing up until September 2023. He also loved entertaining and playing the piano which he played by ear.

In 1987, a pretty lady walked into his store, he took one look and his heart was stolen. Her name was Rena and they were inseparable from then on. They did virtually everything together which included beach trips and Summer’s in NH. After her passing, as a special memorial to her, he created Rena‘s Ballroom in Gainesville. The goal was raising money to find a cure for melanoma which took her life in 2012.

Memorial service for Bob will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 1 PM at Milam Funeral Home Chapel.

He is proceeded in death by his beloved wife Rena Wynn de Rochemont and two siblings, sister, Jeanine and brother Wallace, Jr (Wally).

He is survived by Son, Robert Daniel de Rochemont, Jr, Grandson, Robert Daniel de Rochemont III, both of Gainesville, and a niece, Janice Doe Banks in NH.

Arrangements are under the care of Milam Funeral Home, Inc.