Memorial Service Set For Neil Rosa Of Wall, Athletic Director

WALL, NJ — A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday for Neil Francis Xavier Rosa of Wall Township, who was a former college basketball coach and former high school athletic director. Mr. Rosa, died Monday, Dec. 4, 2017 after a short battle and complications from leukemia. He was 63.

According to his obituary on the Jersey Shore Cremation Service website, Mr. Rosa was born in Jersey City and was proud to be a member of the St. Paul’s of Greenville “courtyard crew.” He was named USA Mr. Biddy Basketball in 1967.

Mr. Rosa graduated from Marist High School of Bayonne, where he played basketball and was the first 1,000-point scorer in Marish High School history and went on to be elected to the Marist High School Hall of Fame. He was a graduate of Bentley College of Waltham, MA, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and his basketball accomplishments led him to 14 years of college coaching at Massachusetts, Colgate and Rider universities and three years at Ramapo College, from 1995 through the 1997-98 season.

Mr. Rosa left the college ranks and transitioned to athletic administration, and was appointed athletic director at Clayton High School followed by Kingsway Regional. He had been the athletic director at Moorestown High School since 2002, according to a report in the Burlington County Times. His peers acknowledged him when he was named the NJSIAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2014. He served as a member of the executive board of the Directors of Athletics Association of New Jersey.

Mr. Rosa was blessed with a number of loves of his life: the first is his wife of 25 years, Debby; son Travis; daughters Michelle (and her husband, Telly Kostidakis) and Melinda (and her husband, Colin Fallon); and grandchildren Richie, Luke and Logan Bianchi, Kaz Kostidakis and Kayla and Carson Fallon. His love of family extended to his 14 Butler-Rosa brothers and sisters, and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Rosa played an active role at Grace Bible Church of Wall and his faith guided his everyday actions. After family and church, summers at the Spring Lake South End beach were among his greatest passions. You could always find him on a late summer day reading a book under his big floppy hat with zinc on his lips.

Family and friends may pay their respects on Saturday, Dec. 9 at Grace Bible Church, 4041 Squankum-Allenwood Road in Wall. A memorial gathering will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research www.jimmyv.convio.net). Jersey Shore Cremation Service, 36 Broad Street, Manasquan is entrusted with his arrangements.

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