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John Robert Rossman was born on May 1, 1975 to Robert and Vi Rossman in the tiny town of Princeton, Kansas. John was the second Rossman child and would eventually be the middle child: having an older brother and a younger sister. He was the stereotypical middle child—always mediating and making peace. Granted, he often caused trouble of his own, but he would always find a way to ensure that no one’s feelings were bruised in the end. John was known to be funny, kind, gentle, stubborn, and yes—ornery. Family and friends knew that he didn’t get mad—he got even when you least expected it. He was always trying new things, from playing the guitar to photography to trying to crack the JFK murder case.
As a teenager, he became even more involved in activities including school plays, football, track, woodworking, and Kenpo Karate. No matter how busy he was, he never passed up the opportunity to make someone smile or to play a harmless prank on his family and friends. Even though he was approaching adulthood, he was still just a kid at heart.
After graduation, John went off to college to discover that his dreams were elsewhere. From the first day of kindergarten until his last breath, he wanted to be a cowboy. He returned home and started training to be a bull rider while working as a butcher at local grocery stores.
On Monday, July 7, 1997, John was returning home from work after being called in on his day off. Unfortunately, he was very tired from staying up all night with his friends. He fell asleep at the wheel of his prized Dodge Ram truck, crossed the centerline, and hit head on with an on-coming car. He was dead at the scene but paramedics were able to revive him. He was transferred to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kansas City where it was determined that he was completed paralyzed and 98% brain dead. John passed away on Friday, July 11, 1997 with his family and friends tearfully encouraging him that it was time to go Home. John is an inspiration to many people everyday. His zest for life, compassion for people and genuinely pure heart exemplifies the true meaning of the human spirit.
In honor of John, the Rossman family started the John R. Rossman Memorial. This memorial raises money that is used to give a college scholarship to a graduating High School Senior. This scholarship is given to a student who is not already receiving a sports scholarship or an academic scholarship. The scholarship is meant to be given to the average student who wants to enter into college.
In 1998, the Rossman family began the NCAA John R. Rossman Memorial Basketball Pool which raises money each year during the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. John was a huge NCAA Tournament fan. The pool honors the memory of John, allows for friendly competition and ALL the proceeds go to the memorial fund.
If you are interested in supporting the John R. Rossman Memorial we invite you to enter our yearly tournament. You may also make a donation by clicking on the PayPal donation button at the top of the page. Thank you for supporting the John R. Rossman Memorial and for helping keep John's memory alive.
God bless,
The Rossman Family
“People rarely reach for things they can’t see or touch.”
- John Rossman 1975 - 1997
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