Obituary of William M. Rosch

William M. Rosch, 76, of Largo, formerly of Altoona, Pa., passed away Monday of complications from COVID-19. Son of the late Dr. Bernard and Helen (Kessler) Rosch, Bill relocated to Florida in 2009 after retiring from Valley View Nursing Home, where he worked as an aide for nearly four decades.

Bill graduated from Altoona High School in 1962. He was born with mild cerebral palsy, which made most physical activities a challenge and team sports not an option. Then Bill met Jake Webb, owner of a popular local gym, who pioneered the discipline of weight training in the 1950s. Mr. Webb introduced Bill to weight lifting and soon became his mentor and staunchest supporter. For more than 15 years, Bill competed in local and statewide competitions, taking home a shelf-full of trophies and a sense of self-worth he could have never imagined.

In July 1997, Bill married Norma Otto. Not even six months later, Norma suffered a debilitating stroke and required more care than Bill could provide. Eventually, she had to move in with her daughter in Michigan. Still, Bill never stopped believing in goodness, continuing to treat everyone with kindness and always putting others first. He was quick with a smile, famous for telling groan-worthy jokes and had the most infectious laugh. He will be dearly missed.

Bill leaves behind two sisters, Deborah (Richard) Blanchard and Leah Rosch (Daniel Siegel), his niece Bryna Blanchard (Thierry Blanchet), nephew Hal Blanchard (Vivian Chiu), great-niece and nephew Esme and Julien Blanchard, plus many cousins and friends.

A private funeral service was held on Wednesday at Congregation B’nai Israel. Due to the pandemic, a gravesite memorial service at the Agudath Achim Cemetery in Altoona is postponed until summer. The family thanks the David C. Gross Funeral Home in St. Petersburg and the E. Merrill Smith Funeral Home in Altoona for making the extraordinary arrangements.

Contributions in Bill’s honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, long a favorite charity of his for helping to end childhood cancer; also, when Bill was a child, he loved Danny Thomas. 

The care of Mr. Rosch and his family has been entrusted to David C. Gross Funeral Home, St. Petersburg.

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