A. Richard Rosamilia of Ocean, New Jersey, formerly of Watchung, died after a long and courageous fight against Alzheimer’s disease at Liberty Royal Healthcare Center in Tinton Falls. Richard died on Sept. 15, he was 88 years old.
Richard was born on July 7th, 1927 in Easton, PA., where he grew up. He graduated from Easton High School. After graduation, Richard served in the US Navy during World War II as a pharmacist mate in the hospital corps on the Battleship USS Missouri. After the war, Richard returned to school and received his Bachelor of Science degree from Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA. He then received his Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Columbia University and in 1955 Richard received his DDS from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry.
Before retiring to Rolling Meadows at Wayside in Ocean with his wife, Myrna, Richard practiced family dentistry for 40 years at their home and office in Watchung. Over those four decades, many patients in Dr. Rosamilia's practice included two or three generations of the same family. Dr. Rosamilia's humming to Frank Sinatra tunes while he worked on his patient's teeth was legendary. Many recall him pausing his work to finish singing a riff in Sinatra style. Richard was so beloved by his patients that to mark his 25th anniversary practicing dentistry, his patients threw him, his wife and three daughters a surprise dinner party at the King George Inn in Warren. His patients declared the evening "King Richard's Day". While Richard was quite stunned and embarrassed by all the praise and attention he received that evening, he was most pleased by all the clever dental related treats given to him in the form of his favorite food, chocolate.
Richard had a passion for gardening and spent hours in his backyard and a passion for the written word. He was the editor in chief of the Penn Dental Journal and he created and was editor of a local literary paper called The Watchung Whispering Leaves. For many years he was an active writer/director/actor of the Watchung Valley Players. Because of his love for American history and in particular the musical 1776, Richard orchestrated and coordinated Watchung’s 50th anniversary in 1976, during America’s Bicentennial. Richard was also a charter member of the Watchung Elks Club, Lions Club and Italian American Club. He was an active member of the American Dental Association and volunteered for many years in the dental department at Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield, NJ. For four decades Richard was a lector at St Mary’s -Stony Hill Church, Watchung and most recently he was a parishioner at The Church at Saint Anselm’s, Wayside, NJ.
Richard was predeceased by his parents Dr. Peter Rosamilia and Katherine Schlough Rosamilia, RN of Newark, and his stepmother, Lydia Clermont of Short Hills and his in laws, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Melchionne of Union. He was also predeceased by his sister in law, Barbara Rosamilia.
Richard is survived by his devoted wife, of 61 years, the former Myrna Melchionne of Union and his three loving daughters, Debby Rosamilia Sumski, and her husband Robert Sumski of Point Pleasant Beach; Donna Rosamilia of Manhattan; and Lisa Rosamilia Laughinghouse and her husband, Dr. Ken Laughinghouse of Fair Haven; and his five grandchildren, Katherine, Kelly, James, Emily and Joseph. Richard is also survived by his only sibling, Peter Rosamilia of North Las Vegas, NV his niece Dawn Berry, his nephew Peter George Rosamilia and many cousins.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 3-7 pm on Thursday, Sept. 24 at Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, NJ 07755. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am Friday, Sept 25at The Church of St. Anselm’s, Wayside, NJ. Interment will follow immediately at Brigadier Gen. William C. Doyle Veteran Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown, NJ.
The family asks in lieu of flowers that a donation be made in Richard’s memory to Alzheimer’s Association, Greater New Jersey Chapter, 400 Morris Avenue, Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834.

For online condolences, information and directions, please visit Richard’s memorial website at www.fiorefuneralhomes.com