John LaRosa Jr.

John LaRosa Jr., a beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and friend who spent two decades working for The New York Times before starting a successful corporate training business, died on Dec. 31 at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center after a valiant battle with kidney disease. He was 89.

John made his own road in life, one that took him from Long Island City’s schoolyards to The Times’ pressroom to corporate conference rooms and college classrooms. A dedicated teacher and mentor, he took great pride in watching his students and clients succeed. He was a fabulous dancer, an impeccable dresser, a lifelong athlete, and a great storyteller. He had a very happy 41-year marriage to Claire, a former advertising executive at The Times, who took wonderful care of him. They lived in Manhattan and Quiogue on the East End of Long Island, where John loved to spend time with his daughter, Nicole, a communications director at Fordham University, and his grandsons Theo and Zach.

John was born on May 10, 1934, to John LaRosa, a foreman for the city’s highway crews, and Florence (nee Gnazzo), a homemaker and seamstress. Surrounded by his extended Italian family, he grew up in Long Island City, playing ball and swimming in the fast currents of the East River. He proudly served in the Army as a court reporter, receiving an honorary discharge in 1962. He kept the friends he made in first grade until the day he died.

He spent 23 years working at The New York Times, starting part time in the classified department and eventually moving up into managerial positions in production, industrial relations, and human resources. He worked on a project that brought new technology to The Times—the change from hot type to cold type—which was revolutionary at the time. As a benefits administrator, he made a lot of employees very happy by enrolling them in The Times’ stock purchase plan. He left the paper in 1982 to start a corporate training consultancy, teaching business writing and management skills to grateful clients who later credited him with their success. He went on to teach classes at FIT and Baruch College—where he’d finished up his own bachelor’s degree in his 40s. He taught well into his 80s and his young students adored him; many stayed in touch over the years. He often said if he had it to do over again, he'd be a college professor.

John was an athlete his whole life and it kept him strong. His kidney doctor said he knew of “zero” other dialysis patients in their 80s playing tennis. His grandsons also kept him young; he played football with them and taught them to play poker and pitch pennies. The family shared many laughs playing cards on summer nights in Quiogue.

John is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Frances Bennetti. He is survived by his wife, Claire LaRosa; his daughter, Nicole LaRosa, and son-in-law, Jonathan Steinke; his grandsons Theo and Zach Steinke; brothers-in-law Ed (Carol) and Alex Kwiatkowski; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Donations in John’s memory can be made to The Rogosin Institute, 504-506 E. 74th St., Suite 101, New York, NY 10021.