Keith Rosser, 94, a long-time resident of Hopewell Township, New Jersey, passed away on November 28, 2018, in Centennial, Colorado. Keith was born on March 31, 1924 in Bristol, Pennsylvania, the second child of KeithMonroe (Sr) and Helen (Vivian) Rosser. He spent his childhood years in Bristol, graduating from Bristol High School in 1942. Keith attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before interrupting his education to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps in December, 1942. While on active duty he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering after being honorably discharged in 1945. There he met his future wife, Shirley Crafts, who was earning a M.S. in Geology. After marrying on June 28, 1947, the couple settled in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, where they lived in the same house for 66 years.
Keith worked his entire career for the New Jersey Department of Transportation, beginning as a field engineer and progressing through the ranks to become the Director of Planning and Research. For a short time he served as the Assistant Commissioner of the Department.Keith was instrumental in planning the New Jersey portion of the Interstate Highway System authorized by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956.
Keith and Shirley were avid golfers and long-time members of Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club, where he served on the Board of Directors for a number of years. He loved to compete in club and Trenton District tournaments, and regularly enjoyed collecting a few bucks from his buddies in their friendly weekend matches. In retirement, Keithand Shirley took pleasure in annual golfing vacations to North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, SC.
In late 2015 the couple moved to Centennial, Colorado to be near one of their two sons. After Shirley’s death in mid-2016, Keith continued to enjoy his time in Colorado, but remained an East Coaster at heart. Although limited in his activities by Alzheimer’s disease, he loved dining out with his son Mark and daughter-in-law Sue, observing the Denver metro area roadways and traffic, and joining Mark for an occasional round of golf or scenic drive through the Colorado mountains.
Keith was preceded in death by Shirley, his beloved wife of 69 years. He is survived by their two sons: Bruce (Laurie) Rosser of Fountainville, PA and Mark (Sue) Rosser of Centennial, CO; three grandchildren: Travis (Jenn) Rosser of Wilmington, NC, Drew (Taryn) Rosser of Highlands Ranch, CO, and Whitney (Ryan) Romanchuk of Miami Shores, FL; and seven great grandchildren: Dylan and Maya Rosser; Wyatt, Levi, and Scarlett Rosser; Miles and baby boy Romanchuk.
Keith enjoyed a long and happy life, filled with accomplishments, fun, and love of family and friends. Resistant as always to ceremonial traditions and to being the center of attention, Keithshared Shirley’s earlier request that no fuss be made and no service be held after his death and cremation. Their ashes will be scattered together by family at a later date.
