Rozs, Joseph Laszlo

VALATIE — Joseph Laszlo Rozs, 74 of Valatie, passed away on March 12, 2021, at Berkshire Medical Center Hospital in Pittsfield, Mass., following four months of hospitalizations in three different hospitals, due to complications following open heart surgery.

Joe was born in Clausthalzellerfeld, Germany to Hungarian refugees, Eva (Eszes) Rozs and Joseph Rozs, on January 25, 1947. He entered the U.S. through Ellis Island in 1953. He spent his childhood years in Milwaukee, Wis., and Cleveland, Ohio, graduating from Lakewood High School in Cleveland, in 1965. He spent four years in the Air Force, stationed at Westover Air Force Base in Westover, Mass, as a fitness instructor. He continued his passion for fitness by pioneering the fitness center business. In 1976 he and his wife Heddy opened Nautilus Lifesport, bringing the first Nautilus equipment to upstate New York. They owned and operated this center for 25 years. In semiretirement, he continued to personally train clients. He loved biking, doted on his cats and dogs, enjoyed the outdoors and yard work, and was a music enthusiast. He had a great sense of humor, was quick witted with his jokes and was the "king of puns."

He is survived by his exwife, partner and friend of 50 years, Adela Heddy Rozs. He is also survived by cousins, Livia Eszes, Judy (Eszes) Scharfenberger, Zoltan Eszes of the Milwaukee area, Eva Eszes of Berlin, Germany, Laszlo Kozmon and George Kozmon of the Cleveland area.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at Berkshire Medical Center Hospital for their compassionate care, and to Berkshire Medical for allowing visiting hours for the last month of Joe’s stay.

A memorial celebration and burial will be held at a future time.

Memorial donations may be made to The Threshold, 600 Rolfs Ave, West Bend, WI, 53090 or thresholdinc.org.