John Derosa

John James DeRosa, 84, of Spartanburg, died Wednesday, January 6, 2010, at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. Born December 21, 1925, in Chelsea, MA, he was the son of the late Alfonso James and Josephine Scoppa DeRosa. Mr. DeRosa was retired from the Spartanburg Herald-Journal after 45 years of service. He began work at the Spartanburg Herald and Journal newspapers as an apprentice printer in 1948. In 1963 he was named foreman of the composing room. He became mechanical superintendent and chief of production in 1967. He was appointed Vice-President of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in 1969 by the owner of Newspaper Management Production Company, Phil Buchheit, and publisher, Fred Moffitt. In 1993, having earned a reputation of having an exceptionally strong work ethic, he oversaw the technological transformation of the print operation which led to the complete computerized makeup of pages in current use. He also was an integral part of merging the two newspapers into the Herald-Journal in 1982. During his worklife, he served four publishers: Phil Buchheit, Fred Moffitt, Hubert Hendrix, all deceased, and David Roberts. He attended the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg and was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Margaret Mize DeRosa; two daughters, Sheryl Bobo and her husband Austin of Anderson, and Jan Easler and her husband Toy of Moore; a granddaughter, Ana Marie Easler; a sister, Mary Ruggelo of Chelsea, MA; a niece, Maria O'Brien of Marblehead, MA; and a cousin, John A. DeRosa of Peabody, MA. Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 9, 2010, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 10, 2010, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel conducted by the Rev. Dr. Donald J. Wilton, the Rev. Bill Adams, and the Rev. Sal Barone. Burial with military rites will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gibbs Cancer Center, SRMC Foundation, 101 East Wood Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303; or to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, 250 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306. The family is at the home. Special thanks is extended by the family to Drs. James Bearden and Sam Reid and their staffs for their love and care. Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of John James DeRosa please visit our Sympathy Store.