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Obituary for Thomas J. Rokita, Sr.
Rokita, Thomas Jacob age 98 of Colorado Springs. Thomas J. Rokita, beloved and loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully the morning of May 7, 2022 in hospice care.
Tom was a first-generation American citizen, born November 1, 1923 in Newark, NJ to Władysława (Miszczak) of Warsaw, Poland and Jacob Rokita of Kobylka, Poland. Tom’s parents met in Newark in 1920. He was the second born of four children. Tom’s childhood days in the 1920’s and 30’s were wholesome, industrious, and fun growing up in Newark, Irvington, and Union, NJ.
Tom was drafted in his senior year at Union High School and he entered active service in the U.S. Army on January 28, 1943. In June 1943, he traveled from New York to Great Britain on the RMS Queen Mary. He was overseas for 27 months. He saw service with the 589th Field Artillery Battalion in England, France, and Rhineland, Germany. He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 Battle Star, the WWII Victory Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. He returned to Fort Dix, NJ August 31, 1945 and received an Honorable Discharge November 21, 1945.
After WWII, he worked as an automobile mechanic in Union, NJ for 20 years. He then worked as an iron worker with Local 11 Elizabeth, NJ for 20 years installing rebar on highways and bridges.
He married the love of his life, Concetta M. Sansone of Maplewood, NJ in 1955. They moved to Iselin, NJ in 1959 where they raised their family and lived the next 54 years.
Tom became very involved in Boy Scouts in 1965 when his son joined Cub Scout Pack 249. Tom’s love and dedication for scouting continued for over 30 years in Iselin Troop 49, Woodbridge Thomas A. Edison Council, long after his son was an Eagle Scout. He served as Scoutmaster for Iselin Troop 49 and led two crews from New Jersey to Philmont, New Mexico. The first Philmont trek was in 1975 and the second was in the early 1990’s. Tom’s devotion to scouting had a beneficial influence on the lives of many young men, some of whom became leaders and remained in touch with him in his final years. For his unwavering commitment to Scouting, he received the distinguished Silver Beaver Award.
Tom was always a strong and active individual. He loved the outdoors. He climbed the summit of over 30 peaks in the Adirondack Mountains in his pursuit to climb all 46 peaks of the Adirondack Forty-Sixers.
During their long retirement, Tom and Connie traveled throughout the U.S. in their minivan each summer, selecting two of their seven grandchildren to join them each year. Tom and Connie would travel anywhere to celebrate special occasions and milestones in their children’s lives, such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations, and holidays. Tom looked forward to enjoyable trips, amusing the children, and family reunions at Fort Robinson, Nebraska and the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. Be that as it may, he did not suffer fools lightly. We will remember him for his remarkable appetite, exuberant sense of humor, the methodical way in which he would load his pipe for a relaxing smoke every evening, his yodeling and singing around the house, and the way he would call out to his wife, “Sweetheart…”.
Tom and Connie were longtime residents of Iselin before moving to Colorado Springs in 2013 to live out West with their children. Tom and Connie celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on June 12, 2014, four days before Connie’s death.
Left to mourn his passing and celebrate his life are his children Thomas J. & Elizabeth Rokita of Colorado Springs, Christina & Robert Mehler of Longmont, CO, and Carol & Robert Burns of Monument, CO; his grandchildren Thomas, Cassandra (Ross Robinson), and Isabel Rokita; Jennifer (Zachary Litz), and Christina Mehler (Evan Griner); and Robert and Kenneth Burns; great grandchildren Bethany and Delilah Robinson, and Isabel Griner; and many nieces and nephews.
Tom is preceded in death by his parents Władysława and Jacob, and siblings Ludwig, Victor, and Anna.
Tom will be laid to rest on May 17, 2022 at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO.
