Robert Oliver Colt "Rocky" Worcester

Robert Oliver Colt “Rocky” Worcester, of Monkton, Maryland, devoted husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on May 26, 2025, surrounded by his family. It is fitting that a man who had a deep love for his country and was proud of his military service in the Army Airborne, died on Memorial Day. He was 81 years old.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on June 20, 1943, he was the son of the late Elizabeth Key Sothoron Worcester and the late Gordon Bennett Worcester. A Baltimore native, Rocky grew up in Bolton Hill, attended Calvert School, The St. Paul’s School, and graduated from The Deveaux School, an Episcopal Boarding School in upstate New York.

He went on to study at William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He was an accomplished collegiate swimmer where his best strokes included the back stroke and the butterfly. Everyone at William & Mary called him “Colt” instead of Rocky and his lifelong friend Phil Marstiller of Middleburg, VA fondly recalls, “Colt was an excellent swimmer in college. I loved him and respected him immensely.”

After leaving William & Mary, Rocky went on to receive his MLA from The Johns Hopkins University where he later became the Associate Director of Alumni Relations for many years, implementing many programs that have been adopted by universities nationally to this day. He went on to become Vice President of St. Mary’s College in Southern Maryland. After he left St. Mary’s, Rocky moved away from higher education and became involved in Maryland politics and public policy.

In 1983, he was recruited by top CEO’s of Maryland businesses to became the President of Maryland Business for Responsive Government (MBRG) where he remained for 26 years, retiring in 2009. His much anticipated and highly regarded “Roll Call” ranked all state legislators by their pro-business friendly voting record with the goal of promoting politicians that made Maryland a more business friendly state. Congressman Andy Harris said of Rocky, when he heard of his passing, “He was quite a leader, and one of the main reasons I was able to achieve what I have achieved.” MBRG, with Rocky at the helm, was instrumental in the elections and successes of many prominent Maryland politicians.

Rocky was a true gentleman. He was a wise and trustworthy friend, and he always gave the best advice. He had a quick wit, loved to tell jokes, and was an incredible storyteller. If you were to ask just about anyone how to describe Rocky, they would say he was truly one of a kind. He was a man who regarded honesty and integrity above all else, and considered them pillars of a life well lived. He strived to uphold these two virtues and instill them in his family. He believed in facing things head on, speaking his truth, never taking short cuts, and always doing the right thing, even if it wasn’t the popular choice.

Rocky’s greatest joy was his family. He met the love of his life, Irene Epsilantis, in the summer of 1965. They were married for 57 years and shared three children, six grandchildren, and a lifetime of love and memories. He was a devoted father and grandfather who loved watching his children and grandchildren play sports. He liked to say he, “never missed a lacrosse game,” when his children were growing up. He loved family time in the mountains of Virginia, skiing in Vermont, and at the beach in Emerald Isle, NC. He embraced becoming a grandfather and cherished time with his grandchildren, sitting and talking to them about their day or teaching them words of wisdom. His grandchildren made him laugh, kept him young, and they will miss their one and only Papa.

Rocky loved the Shenandoah Valley, a fondness that began in his youth while attending Camp Virginia. Later in life, he bought a home near the Homestead Resort in Bath County, Virginia. He loved sitting on the front porch of his home in Monkton, but his favorite place to be was in Virginia, reading a book, drinking a cup of coffee, and looking out over the Valley at the purple haze surrounding his beloved mountains. He was an avid reader and history buff and loved books about American history, politics, philosophy, and the way things worked. He loved country music and bluegrass; Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, and Neil Young. He was a lifelong dog lover, his most beloved companions over the last three decades were Pippy, a spirited wire-haired dachshund, and later on Mosby and Sutty, two energetic and loyal German Shorthaired Pointers. He enjoyed being in the mountains with his dogs and also loved taking his Pointers to First Mine Run, a hunting club where he was a member near his home in Monkton, Maryland.

Rocky was one of the few descendants of the Colt family, founders of the Colt Revolver, “the gun that won the West.” Rocky was also directly related to, and named after, Robert Oliver, one of Baltimore’s original merchants and financiers of the B & O Railroad and helped lay the foundations for the city of Baltimore. Robert Oliver’s country estate, “Green Mount” (now in the heart of the city), was dedicated as a cemetery in 1839. Since then, Green Mount has become the final resting place of countless prominent and historical figures including Johns Hopkins, Enoch Pratt, and many Civil War Generals and military personnel. It is a fitting final resting place for Rocky who will be laid to rest beside his mother, grandmother, aunt, and other family members dating as far back as Robert Oliver.

Rocky is survived by his beloved wife Anastasia Irene Worcester of Monkton, a son Key Sothoron Colt Worcester of Monkton, a daughter Anastasia Colt Owens (John) of Lutherville, and another son, Gordon Bennett Worcester, II (Raven) of Towson. He is also survived by his beloved sister-in-law Deanna Kotzias and six grandchildren, Jake, Cecily, and Nick Owens, Colt and Oliver Worcester, and Ivy Covington.

The family will receive friends at the Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley, Inc.,10 W. Padonia Road (at York) on Thursday, June 5, 2025, from 4pm until 8pm.

A service will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025 at 11:00am at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 6700 Roland Avenue in Baltimore.

Internment at Green Mount Cemetery following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to The Defenders of Animal Rights, 14412 Old York Road, Phoenix, Maryland 21131. Please specify donations in honor of Robert O. C. Worcester.

https://adopt-a-pet.org/support-2/donate/