It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. John N. Rossettos of Winchester, MA and Lincoln, CA on October 29, 2020. Professor Rossettos was the beloved husband of Elizabeth “Joy” Pureka Rossettos and loving father of Nicholas John Rossettos of Winchester and Linda Rossettos Stoll of Lincoln, CA, the son of the late Nicholas and Calliope Rossettos and grandfather of Grace Elizabeth Stoll, Zoe Athena Rossettos and Miles Alexander Rossettos. Beloved brother of Ann Rossettos Cacoullos and the late Theophilos Cacoullos of Athens, Greece, brother-in-law of Paul and Judy Pureka, uncle of Rena Torres, Niki and Galatia Cacoullos, Anna Torres and Andrea Torres, Michael Pureka, Mimi Chong, Christine Pureka and many cousins.
John was born on the Mediterranean island of Nisyros, Greece on March 11, 1932 and immigrated to America at the age of two. Growing up in New York City he was graduated from Stuyvesant High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from M.I.T and his MS and Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University in 1964. He began his career first at NASA in Hampton, VA, doing significant work on the space re-entry capsule. Returning to Massachusetts he worked at Raytheon before commencing the work of his life as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University for 37 years.
John was a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Academy of Mechanics and Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He also received the award for Outstanding Teaching in the School of Engineering and voted six times by students as Outstanding Faculty Member. He authored or co-authored 55 Journal articles in the area of structural mechanics, mechanics of composite materials and damage in army fabrics. He co-authored a textbook on the Finite Element Method with Dr. Pin Tong.
Above and beyond his academic achievements were his two children, Nicholas and Linda, whom he taught his faith in God and of whom he was very proud and loved very much. And of course, his grandchildren gave him much happiness.
Funeral Services are private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, 70 Montvale Ave., Woburn, MA 01801, St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, 1001 Stone Canyon Drive, Roseville, CA 95661, or Development Informations Systems, 118 Cushing Hall, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115-9877 (Please include a note that your gift is in memory of John Rossettos in each case.)
May his memory be eternal.
To view the livestream of the Funeral Mass on Saturday, November 7 @11AM (or to view it afterward), visit https://www.annunciationwoburn.org/ , click the livestream tab, and select his service livestream link.