Julian Del Rosal Jr.'s Obituary
Julian Del Rosal, Jr., 94, of Mesa, AZ and formerly from Miami, Fl, passed away on July 20, 2025 in Jacksonville, FL. He was born in Tampa, Florida to the late Julian Del Rosal, Sr. and Otillia (Montoto) Del Rosal. He was predeceased by his loving partner, Judy Shaw.
Julian’s father, moved him and his younger sister to Chicago, IL in the mid-1930’s during the Great Depression to find work. Julian’s first job as a teenager was working at a neighborhood filling station where he learned to work on cars that he raced on a local dirt track oval. At age 20, he enlisted into the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged at age 24. After moving the family to Miami in the mid-1950’s to attend the U of M, he got a job with the Florida State Road department where he worked mainly as an engineer for 27 years.
Shortly after moving to Miami, Julian began saltwater fishing to supplement the family dinners. During the 1960’s he enjoyed camping, spearfishing, and making trips to Bimini Island. His first boat was a wooden hull, “Ray Bond” open fisherman which he used mainly for spearfishing and diving for lobsters. The boat was fast, so he entered and won in his class, an offshore race from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale and back. Later he purchased a 23’ Allmand, hardtop boat which he used for vacationing in the Bahamas with several of his friends.
During the 1970’s through the 1990’s he enjoyed several extended motorcycle touring vacations with Judy, on three different motorcycles, and once in a used car that they purchased in England to tour Europe in for a year. Later on, he bought three different Class A motorhomes and traveled much of the USA and Canada. After a tragic accident in CO where he lost his beloved partner Judy, he purchased a park model home in Mesa, AZ where he spent his winters. Julian wrote over 150 stories about his unusual, but exciting life at a writing club at the RV park.
He is survived by his sons, Gary Del Rosal and Larry Del Rosal and their families, his stepdaughter Susan Gundlach, and his first wife Evelyn Johnson.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 8th at 11:00 AM at Boza & Roel Funeral Home, 4730 N Armenia Ave., Tampa.
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