• Email a friend
• Create a page like this
• Click here to bookmark this page

The Life of Dr. John A. Rosica, M.D.

Dr. John A. Rosica M.D., of Scotch Plains, NJ passed away peacefully at home on the evening of October 8th, 2024 due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 72. In his final week, he was cared for at home by his loving son Evan Russenberger-Rosica, and many friends who contributed their time and abilities to help John and Evan in their time of need.



John was born on June 18, 1952, to John E. and Carmela Rosica. He was raised in Cliffside Park, N.J. As a teenager, he worked at his father’s plumbing business. He then earned his CDL and spent a summer as a truck driver. He graduated from St. Peter’s college in 1974, and earned his medical doctorate from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara in 1979 while becoming fluent in Spanish. He worked at Rahway Hospital from 1985-1999, serving as Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine. He then worked in the Saint Clare’s Health System from 1999 until his retirement in 2018. During his career, John saw over 150,000 patients.



John married in 1980, and on October 8th, 1992, John celebrated the birth of his son Evan. They had exactly 32 years together. They enjoyed summer vacations on the Jersey Shore, swimming in the pool, playing catch, operating their train set, and sledding down the front yard. They took up Taekwondo together and John excelled, earning his black belt in 2001 by breaking a cinder block with his bare hand. They traveled all over the world together, from Alaska, to Arizona, to St. Thomas, to the UK. John was a loving and supportive father, who encouraged Evan to chase his dreams, and supported him unwaveringly.



Although he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, John lived a full and independent life with a little support from his son, and in recent months, his caregiver Rich Wlodarczyk. John loved to drive his Corvettes, practice his swing at the driving range, and go for long walks around his neighborhood. He loved when his best friend Tony DiStaulo would come to visit and enjoyed talking with him on the phone when he could not. The highlight of his day was sitting down to watch the Yankees with a good meal, a glass of wine, and his beloved cat Chessie at his side.



John was a straightforward, honest, loyal and hardworking man. He did not strive for attention, recognition, or status. He was kind to animals, famously adopting Phoebe, a Yorkshire Terrier who walked through the automatic doors of the Rahway Emergency Room in 1990. He went on to rescue three more dogs from abuse and neglect and gave them a “forever” home. He enjoyed writing and hoped to one day write a children’s book from the perspective of Chessie, a former feral tamed with food, play and patience. John hated computers, cell phones, automatic transmissions, traffic, flying, and Newark Airport.



John leaves behind his son Evan, 3 half-sisters, Johanna, Loretta and Paula and his beloved cat Chessie.