Obituary of Ferdinand J Rossi

To view the Mass virtually, visit https://stvincentschurch.org go to "Home" icon and scroll down to mass times. WILL BE LISTED WHEN MASS BEGINS Ferdinand (Fred) Joseph Rossi, 80, born December 31, 1941, (a Happy New Year baby), left us on January 18, 2022 after a short illness. He was predeceased by his sister Josephine. He leaves behind a loving wife, Joy, three children, Michelle Santaliz (Gil), Catherine Rossi (Renso Cornejo), and Fred Jr. (Tracey). He also had three wonderful grandchildren that he adored; Kate Santaliz, Caia Rossi, and Nick Rossi. Also left behind are a loving, devoted brother Joe (Georgia), a loving, devoted sister Marlene (Bill) and a loving, devoted brother-in-law Bill Shepard, brother Frank and sister Nancy, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Fred was born and raised in Gillette New Jersey, the oldest of six children. He entered Watchung Hills Regional High School (WHRHS) as a sophomore, the first year the school opened. During his three years at WHRHS, he earned varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. In basketball, he held the points scored record for more than 15 years. In baseball, he held the single-season home run record for over 20 years. In 2008, he was inducted into the WHRHS Hall of Fame. He was so proud of that accomplishment. He attended Delta State University in Cleveland Mississippi from 1960-64. He led the Statesmen in batting average (.365), hits (27), RBI (16), and home runs (3), and also earned Most Valuable Player. He was named “Who’s Who” Among American Colleges and Universities that same year. Baseball remained a huge part of his life, playing semi-pro for the Union County and Plainfield Twilight Leagues coached by Don Kohler. He was also a life long Yankee fan. His professional career began as the Passaic Township Clerk/Administrator. He then went on to be Morris County Administrator, during which he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Fairleigh Dickenson University. His latter years were spent as the Morris Township Administrator, until his retirement. Fred was a Rotarian for many years, also serving as president of the club. He was on the Board of Directors at the Millington Savings Bank for 35 years. Locally, his contributions were many. As the chairman of the Long Hill Township Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, he enjoyed collecting township related historical artifacts and memorabilia. He was also a member of the 1960 WHRHS Class Reunion Committee. He never missed a monthly meeting or yearly reunion. In addition, he received The Morris County Lifetime Achievement Award from the Patriots Path Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Relatives and friends were very important to Fred, and he made a point to keep in touch with them. His genuine kindness and concern was felt by all. The pride he felt for his grandchildren and their accomplishments filled his heart with joy. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. The viewing will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Stirling, NJ on Friday January 28 from 4-7pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church on Saturday January 29, 10:30 am, followed by entombment at Somerset Hills Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church at 250 Bebout Avenue Stirling, NJ 07980, or Long Hill Township First Aid Squad at 949 Valley Road Gillette, NJ 07933. For further information, or to leave an online condolence message please visit www.gcfuneralhome.com