John Rosasco who retired in 1988 as Division Chief in the Nevada Union Placer Ranger Unit died peacefully at home in Auburn on April 9, 2015.
He began his Forestry career in Sonoma County as a Firefighter. He served in Lake County as a Foreman Dispatcher after his military duty. Then he took educational leave to attend Humboldt State majoring in Forestry and working in the Humboldt Ranger Unit in the summers and for a couple years after his Humboldt days.
He served in Santa Cruz County between 1966 and 1976 as a Dispatcher and later Ranger in the Corralitos area. A promotion took him to the Nevada Yuba Placer County unit where he retired 12 years later having served as both Admin and Operations Officer.
John was with the ‘old CDF’ for a total of 32 years and was proud of the organization and the work it did. He enjoyed the comradeship of fellow CDFers and continued to enjoy time with them as a member of the 25-year Club, the CDF Wagon Train and a CDF Fishing Group.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Toni, and two sons , John Peter (Meralee) of Minnesota and George (Leah) of Placer County and grandchildren Emma, Hannah, Carrie and Will of Minnesota, numerous nieces, nephews and many friends throughout the state.
Services will be held on Monday, April 20th at 11:30 a.m. at St. Teresa of Avila Church at 11610 Atwood Road, Auburn CA. Reception will follow with an opportunity to renew old acquaintances
John Condit Rosasco was born to George and Alice (Condit) Rosasco in Ukiah, California on June 2, 1936. He died peacefully at home on April 9th. John was raised in Healdsburg, California on the former Frei Brothers Ranch, now the Gallo Family Vineyard property. He attended grammar and high school in Healdsburg and studied Forestry at Humboldt State University. John worked for 32 years as a Ranger with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Sonoma, Lake, Humboldt, and Santa Cruz counties before transferring to Placer County in 1976 and retiring as a Division Chief for the Nevada, Yuba, Placer Ranger Unit in 1988.
John and his wife Toni lived in San Francisco from 1989 to 1993 where John trained as a chef at the California Culinary Academy. After graduating from the Culinary Academy John worked as the chef at the Monte Verde Inn for several years.
John was preceded in death by his brother David Rosasco. He is survived by his wife of 56 years Dorothy Antoinette (aka, Toni), sons John Peter (Meralee) of Duluth, Minnesota and George (Leah) of Auburn, four grandchildren, Emma, Hannah, Carrie, and Will, all of Duluth, nieces Denise Horsfall (Ivor) of Sonoma, Audrey Flood (Dave) of Gresham, Oregon, nephew Duane Fowler (Shannon) of Sonoma, sister-in-law Sandra Fowler of Sonoma, great niece Katie Horsfall of Petaluma, and great nephews Kevin Horsfall of Santa Rosa, Mike Flood of San Diego, and Chris Flood (Brittany) of Pine Bush, New York. John was a member of the 49er Lions Club for nearly 40 years. He was active in SIRS for eight years and served as Big Sir in 2014. John was also a longtime member of the Tahoe Club and a current member of the Elks Club.
When he wasn’t volunteering at a community event John loved to fish and in his younger years he enjoyed backpacking with his two sons. John and Toni also covered thousands of miles, trailering throughout the US and Mexico, with yearly trips to Minnesota to see their grandkids.
A service will be held on Monday, April 20th at 11:30am at St. Teresa of Avila Church located at 11610 Atwood Road in Auburn with a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice.