Robert Desrochers cared very deeply about helping others and he never failed to show it, whether he was battling house fires or just letting someone bend his ear.

“Every time you talked to him, you felt good,” said Addison Township Supervisor Bruce Pearson. “He always asked how you were doing.”

Desrochers, who spent a total of 37 years as a member of the Addison Twp. Fire Department, passed away on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. He was 77.

Before he retired in 2003, Desrochers spent much of his career as assistant chief. He returned in 2005 to serve four more years as an auxiliary member, helping out wherever and however he could.

“He was a terrific asset to the fire department for many, many years,” Pearson said.

“If I had to describe Chief Bob with one word . . . I would have to say ‘helper,’” wrote George Spencer, who served as Addison’s fire chief from 1998 to 2009, in an email to the Leader. “Bob helped everyone.”

Younger firefighters like Jerry Morawski, who’s served with the department since 1994 and now leads it as chief, viewed “Chief Bob” as a valuable mentor.

“I learned a lot from him,” he said. “He was a guy you could look up to. I learned a lot of leadership qualities from Chief Bob.”

Morawski remembers Desrochers as having a “calm personality.” Whenever there was a contentious issue or difficult situation, he said Desrochers was the one who “diffused” things.

“Bob was always the guy that made everything run smoother,” Morawski said.

Spencer indicated many relied on Desrochers’ guidance.

“Whether counseling new members, firefighters, officers, politicians and yes, even fire chiefs, we could always depend on Bob’s trusted wisdom, perspective and an ever-optimistic view of . . . the future,” he wrote.

Leonard resident Geno Mallia, Sr., who served on the department from 1955-93, remembered Desrochers as “a very meticulous guy.”

“He liked everything to be in order,” he said.

Leonard resident Marlene Mallia, who spent 25 years as an emergency medical technician for the fire department, characterized Desrochers as a dependable and “loyal” man.

“He was always there when I needed him,” she said. “We had some trying times in those days and he always stood up for me . . . If I needed him and (my husband) wasn’t around, he’d be the first person I’d call.”

Whenever a fire, car crash or medical run resulted in a fatality, Desrochers was right there to counsel the firefighters as a member of the local crisis intervention team.

“He got us through some of our darkest hours,” Morawski said.

But it wasn’t just the big stuff. He was also there whenever the firefighters needed to unburden themselves or seek advice regarding issues in their personal lives.

Pearson recalled Desrochers was just easy to talk to. “He was one of those guys that you could strike up a conversation with and you immediately liked him,” he said.

“He wasn’t one of these hard-nosed guys. He had the gift of gab. He could walk up to anybody and strike up a conversation.”

“He was very polite and personable. He had lots of personality,” Geno Mallia said. “He was a good friend. He used to come over to my house and we’d sit for hours on my patio, just talking.”

“Bob was a people person if there ever was one,” Spencer wrote. “A mentor to many, trusted advisor to a few of us and a person you would always be proud to call your friend.”

Desrochers, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, worked as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) substance abuse counselor for General Dynamics in Warren until his retirement in 1995. He was an active member of UAW Local 1200.

Outside of work and firefighting, Desrochers was a talented artist and a good photographer. He painted a mural at Fire Station #2 in Lakeville. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Desrochers leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Maryann. The two were wed in Royal Oak on May 30, 1958.

He’s also survived by sons David (Peggy) Desrochers, of Bay Port, and Michael (Laura) Desrochers, of Oxford; grandchildren Bryan (Christine), Nicole (Bryan), Christopher and Allison; great-grandchildren Ava, Nathan, Jacob and Annabelle; and siblings Joann Haddad, of Sterling Heights, Carol Palozzoni, of Shelby Township, and Richard (Lucille) Desrochers, of South Branch.

Desrochers was preceded in death by his parents John and Edna (Smith) Desrochers. He was born to them on Feb. 5, 1939 in Detroit.

A funeral Mass was held Dec. 19 at St. Cornelius Catholic Church in Dryden. Fr. Larry Delonnay officiated.

Desrochers’ ashes will be interred at Addison Township’s Lakeville Cemetery.