John Max Rosolack
Obituaries
Vail Trail page 23 - January 19, 2001
Rosolack lived a life outdoors
John Max Rosolack, an avid alpine and cross-country skier who for more than seven decades pursued his passion on groomed slopes and in Colorado's backcountry, died of cancer Jan. 12 in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 76.
A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Beaver Creek Chapel.
"John was a great chap; he was like a rabbit when cross-country skiing," says his close friend Stuart Holden of Vail. "He'd be way up ahead and then he'd ski back to meet the rest of us. His enthusiasm was contagious."
Rosolack loved to take people into the backcountry and share his excitement about skiing in that quiet wilderness. He was enthusiastic about anything to do with snow, Holden adds, and Rosolack made the outings fun for everyone because of his outgoing friendly attitude.
A favorite tradition Holden will especially miss sharing with his good friend is hiking into the woods each holiday season to chop their own Christmas trees.
Rosolack was a popular sports leader for Vail's Club 50 members. A favorite run at Beaver Creek is being informally named "John's Run" by those in Club 50 who frequently shared ski days with him.
Living a life filled with outdoor activities, when Rosolack wasn't alpine or cross-country skiing during the winters, he enjoyed ice skating.
As winter snows began to melt, Rosolack was anxious to test the flies he hand tied on the fish in high mountain lakes. He would hike and backpack, and as his wife Betsy explains, Rosolack's favorite trails were those that ended at a lake, preferably filled with hungry trout. Summers were also packed with a frenzy of mountain biking, sailing, tennis and in-line skating.
When he turned 70, Rosolack received a plaque proclaiming him the "World's Greatest 70-year old Roller-Blader."
Betsy Rosolack describes her husband of nearly 50 years as honest and direct, with a wonderful, dry sense of humor.
"Now every hike I take and trail I ski will spark the wonderful memories we had together," Betsy says. "We would have celebrated out 50th wedding anniversary in May."
After John's cancer spread from his lungs to the rest of his body, Betsy says, it was the hospice in Arizona that was such a help to the family.
"It was hospice that made possible for John to stay home, so we'd like any memorial contribution be made to Vail Mountain Hospice.", where the house that John designed for his family was featured in House Beautiful Magazine. While living in Aspen, Rosolack
Born in Eau Claire, Wisc., Rosolack graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in mechanical engineering after serving in the United States Navy. He also studied architecture in Fontainebleau, France.
After his marriage in Minneapolis to Betty "Betsy" Peterson, the couple moved nearly 50 years ago to Grand Junction. There, Rosolack pursued a career in architecture and also served as director of Grand Mesa ski area.
The Rosolacks moved to Aspen in 1962, where the house that John designed for his family was featured in House Beautiful Magazine. While living in Aspen, Rosolack first did architectural work for Fritz Benedict, which included the design at Snowmass Village. Later, he established his own architectural firm.
Rosolack is survived by his wife Betsy, a son E [sic] Rosolack, daughter, Gretchen Rosolack and T [sic] Traxler, and three grandchildren. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Mountain Hospice, P.O. Box 4432, Vail, CO 81658
