John Stoddard Rosebrough

John Stoddard Rosebrough, lovingly known as “Sir” to his family, passed away at the age of 85 on March 27, 2018 after suffering complications from treatment for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
He was born in St. Louis, MO on August 20,1932 to Mary Elizabeth Connor and John Stoddard Rosebrough, Sr. John graduated in 1950 from Webster Groves High School and lettered in baseball, basketball and football. A graduate of the Class of 1954, he earned his B.A. in Political Science from Washington University where he was also a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After college, John served in the United States Army as a gunnery and guided missiles officer stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX and in Fairbanks, AK. During his years of service, he earned the rank of First Lieutenant and coached the Alaskan Army Warriors basketball team.
On February 14, 1970, John asked Mary Eleanor Shullenberger of Indianapolis, IN if she
thought it would be a good idea if they got married. And she did! So on June 19, 1970, they married. They each had two daughters and a year later welcomed a son. John’s family includes children: Mimi (Chester) Wheeler, Penny (Bill) Darcey, Jenny (Andy) Barker, Wendy (Jeff) Marshall and John W. (Kate) Rosebrough. His grandchildren are Chase and Courtney Wheeler; Will, Connor (deceased 2015) and Teddy Darcey; Charlie Barker; Anna and Ben Marshall; and Alex, Grace, Jessica and Jenna Rosebrough.
John’s accomplished business career spanned many decades; he was most proud to be one of three founders of Duke Realty Investments, the largest mixed use REIT on the New York Stock Exchange. He believed in supporting his community, giving to numerous charities and serving as the Indiana Chairman for the United States Olympic Committee and the Indianapolis Chamber of Economic Development, among others.
He was a proud American, a loyal St. Louis Cardinals’ baseball fan and a student of the game of golf--always trying to improve his game and celebrating two holes in one! Having traveled to more than 20 countries, New Zealand was the highlight. However, his happiest place was along the shores of Lake Michigan.
A master storyteller, John could recite poems he learned from his grandmother when he was a child. One of his most dramatic recitations was “Casey at the Bat.” His repertoire of songs and ditties entertained his family on trips and drove his golf partners crazy at times. He had a song for every occasion. He was the best person to go to for advice, whatever the situation, and his wise (and often humorous) words will be with us throughout our lives. Some of our favorite ones are: “Make good decisions,” “Always do the hard thing first,” “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” “Leave things better than you found them.” He described himself as “dated, opinionated, generous and fair.” And we would add that he loved us all unconditionally and always put others before himself.

If—
Rudyard Kipling , 1865 - 1936
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Our family extends its deepest gratitude for the outpouring of affection and support. A
Celebration of Life will be held in Michigan this summer.
Remembrances in John’s memory may be made to Cardinals Care, 700 Clark St., St. Louis, MO 63102, https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/community/donate-to-cardinals-care or The Mayo Clinic, http://plannedgiving.mayoclinic.org/memorials-and-tribute-gifts .