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So if a person — once “saved”, as you would put it,

I cannot take credit for what God Himself declared in inspired Scripture.

"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood,
we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son,
much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." "
Romans 5:9

Those who have received His gift via faith, were enemies of God.
Those who have received His gift via faith, will be saved from God's wrath on His enemies.
Those who have received His gift via faith, were reconciled to God through the death of Christ.
Those who have received His gift via faith, will be saved by Christ's Life! It is an amazing promise of God.

dies in final impenitence and defiance against God, he does not lose salvation but loses fellowship?

That believer who does not repent from sin before death is still a child of God that received the amazing gift of salvation and still has it. It is guaranteed, according the words of Christ and according to other passages in Scripture.
That person's salvation never depended on his efforts, nor good works.
He is no longer an enemy of God that will experience His wrath.
He is a son, who will be chastised and suffer loss in eternity, though as through fire.

What does he lose?

That person loses current fellowship with God throughout his life.
That person loses any rewards he could have had.
That person loses the peace of God in His daily life.
That person loses a life of blessing.
It is truly a loss and a terrible thing.

PS - Tried not to make the last post too long. This deserves its own post anyway!

The gift of salvation (being saved), is amazingly wondrous! It is more than we could ever hope for.

Here is a list of what happens when a person entrusts himself to Christ alone for salvation, via faith:

THE POINT IN TIME WHEN WE BECAME A CHILD OF GOD (Aorist tense verbs):

1. Born anew, 1 Pet 1:23.

2. Delivered from the power of darkness, Col 1:13.

3. Transferred into the kingdom of God, Col 1:13.

4. Baptized into permanent union with Christ by the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor 12:13.

5. Sealed (permanently) by the Holy Spirit into union with Christ, Eph 1:13 & 14.

6. Indwelt (permanently) by the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor 3:16

7. Made spiritually alive (activated human spirit), and able to hear and believe the Gospel, Rom 8:7-10, 1 Cor 1:18 & 2:14.

8. Given spiritual gifts, 1 Cor 12:4-7.

9. Given everlasting life, 1 John 5:11.

10. Made to be complete in Christ, Col 2:10.

11. Called by the Gospel, 1 Thess 5:24.

12. Reconciled to God, 2 Cor 5:18 (Christ settled the enmity (hostility) and made peace between God and His children, whether we realize it or not).

13. Redeemed (from the slave market of sin), Col 1:14.

14. All sins forgiven through propitiation (covered), Rom 3:24 & 25.

15. Justified (declared righteous positionally), Rom 3:24.

16. Made to be dead with Christ (positionally) and made alive to God, Rom 6:8-10.

17. Sanctified (perfectly cleaned up and set apart positionally), 1 Cor 6:11.

18. Freed from the Old Testament Law, Gal 3:23-25.

19. Adopted as adult sons of God, Rom 8:15

20. Placed on a secure foundation, Eph 2:19-22.

21. Appointed as priests unto God (replacing the Old Testament priesthood), 1 Peter 2:5 & 9.

22. Given permanent access to God, Eph 2:18.

23. Became joint heirs with Christ and beneficiaries of all that God owns, Rom 8:15-17.

"Thank God for His Indescribable Gift!!"

May you place your entire faith in Christ alone, apart from any effort or self-righteousness or religious ritual.
May you share in eternal life and the assurance of salvation now, during your life.