John "Jack" A. La Rosee

Born in Waltham, a son of the late Albert E. and Catherine (MacDonald) La Rosee, he had been a longtime resident of Somerset. During his military career he lived in Libya, Germany, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam as well as all over the United States. After retirement he lived in Derry, New Hampshire for forty years before returning to Somerset.

A graduate of St. Columbkille Partnership School he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. A United States Air Force career Veteran, he enlisted during the waning days of World War II and was on active duty during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. He was awarded both a Bronze Star and the Air Medal.

An active life member of the VFW, Post 1617 in Derry, NH, he was the Grand Master of the NH chapter of the Military Order of the Cootie and was the State Chair of the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program. He is featured in the Air Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and while living in Germany was a choir director. John was active in youth sports, coached the Bombers for the C.Y.O. and was a Boy Scout Troop leader. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed scuba diving and gardening. John led a life and left a legacy of service to his God, country and family.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, John “Jay” La Rosee and his wife Barbara of Plymouth, Stephen La Rosee and his wife Marsha of Williamsburg, VA and James La Rosee and his wife Ann of Winston-Salem, NC; one sister, Jeannette Fitzgibbon and her husband Eddie; thirteen grandchildren; Heather, Jennifer, Joshua, Addie, Emily, Kathryn, Candice, Cammi, Carey, Matthew, Andrew, Christopher and Eric; eight great-grandchildren, Jason Robert, John, Mickyla, Bianca, Georgia, Benjamin and Sofie, with one on the way, two daughters-in-law, Pamela and Lisa La Rosee and many nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Donald La Rosee, father-in-law of the late Dustin Renee Elliott La Rosee, great-grandfather of the late Zachary, and brother of the late Catherine Murrell and Albert La Rosee.

His Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 11:00 AM in St. Patrick’s Church, 306 South St., Somerset. Visiting hours are prior to the funeral from 9:00 to 10:30AM in Waring-Sullivan Home at Rose E. Sullivan, 866 County St., Somerset. Contributions may be made in his honor to Honor Flight Inc., 175 S. Tuttle Rd., Springfield, OH 45505. Burial private.