Douglas Dale Rossi

Douglas Dale Rossi, beloved husband, father, long-time Santa Barbara resident, and senior partner at the Price, Postel and Parma law firm died June 10, 2022, after a six-month battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. Doug was born in Oakland on March 3, 1954, to Santa Barbara natives Dale Rhodehamel Rossi and Alexander Rossi and was raised in Santa Monica where he attended Franklin Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Santa Monica High School.

Doug went to Amherst College where, in 1976, he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Economics. While at Amherst, he played on the varsity basketball team and was president and treasurer of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Doug went on to the University of Southern California Law School where he was on the Southern California Law Review. In 1979, shortly after he graduated, he began his career at Price, Postel & Parma. He was first a law clerk, then an associate attorney, then partner. At the time of his death, Doug was the senior partner at the one hundred and seventy-year-old firm and chaired its Estate Planning Department.

Doug believed in contributing to the community and served as a trustee to charities Alexander House Foundation and Sattler Beneficial Trust and on the board of several Santa Barbara organizations including the Boys and Girls Club, Casa Dorinda, Casa de Herrero, Family Service Agency, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and most recently Habitat for Humanity.

Doug was a natural athlete and played one game or another his whole life. Early on it was baseball and basketball. For thirty years, Doug spent his weekday lunch hour playing basketball, with friends from all walks of life, at the downtown Carrillo Rec Center near his office. He always enjoyed the workout but, moreover, he loved the camaraderie and laughs on the court. While he loved playing the game, he was equally happy coaching his kids’ teams and watching “his Lakers” on TV. Doug was big on March Madness and faithfully ran the annual brackets at his office. A true Pisces, Doug was always happiest in any body of water and was known to say “I never met a swim I didn’t like.” Doug also loved to play golf and had most recently joined the pickleball craze. Whatever the sport, he always loved a game. On the domestic side of life, Doug loved to grow things and would spend many hours carefully tending to his vegetable garden at home. He was always proud of his crop, no matter how fruitful. He especially enjoyed growing pole beans, and lettuces and was always challenged by the temperamental tomato plant.

Doug loved the desert and it had been a long-time dream of his to have a second home there. He and his wife, Kim, had recently bought a condo in Rancho Mirage. At age 68, and after 42 years of full-time lawyering, Doug was looking forward to lightening his workload and spending extended time in the desert with Kim, his kids, and grandkids. The Rossis had only owned their new desert home for six months before Doug’s cancer diagnosis in January.

Doug is survived by his wife, Kim Haggin Rossi, children Lauren (Tom Reynolds), Christopher (Randi), Claire, and Kate, grandchildren Aubrianna, Rudy and Otis, and brothers Jon (Trish) and Chris (Linda).

There will be a private memorial service. Any contributions in Doug’s memory can be made to the Carrillo Rec Center or Habitat for Humanity.