John Ernest Rossi

John Ernest Rossi, born on June 19, 1947, passed away at home on March 10, 2026, at the age of 78. A man of great energy, intelligence, and perseverance, John lived life on his own terms, touching countless people with his humor and unwavering spirit.

He began his education in the U.S. Navy and went on to earn a BS in Political Science with a minor in Education from Arizona State University. In 1976, he married Rosita Zwickl. Together they spent three years teaching elementary children at gas and oil separation plants in Saudi Arabia before John returned to earn his MIM/MBA from Thunderbird School of Management. He later served as International Sales Manager at Commodore Business Machines and then founded Blue Chip Electronics, Inc., the first company to introduce and sell MS-DOS computers into the mass merchant market in the United States. For the last three decades of his career, he owned and operated Decision Consultants, Inc., a Microsoft consulting firm that provided computer systems and business-to-business services across the Southwest until its sale in 2018.

Above all, family was the center of John’s world. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he shared 50 years of marriage with Rosita. He is survived by his three children, Ernest Rossi, Stephanie Rossi, and Tricia Wauson; six grandchildren, Rachel Rossi, Hannah Rossi, Brian Gibson, Nicole Valerio, Madchen Wauson, and Matthew Wauson; and six great-grandchildren, Zade, Lily, Melody Rose, Jax, Madeline, and Xavier. An avid athlete who ran the New York Marathon in his mid-sixties, John faced a brain tumor with courage for the final twelve years of his life, supported by Barrow Neurological Institute and, in his last days, the compassionate team at Hospice of the Valley.

He will be remembered for his laughter, his sharp wit, and his ability to find humor in every corner of life. John lived with grace, love, and deep devotion to family and friends in the country he cherished.