‘Mrs. Rosa’ lauded in Englewood
Man, 94, charged in hit-and-run death
DUMONT – A small bouquet of pink carnations and a cross made out of palms placed on the corner of Washington and Madison Avenues were a big reminder of tragedy that struck less than 48 hours earlier.
First grade teacher Elizabeth Feliciano-Rosa, 54, was hit by a pickup truck just after 5 p.m. Thursday at the intersection in the heart of the town where she lived, and later died from her injuries.
Ernest Hofmann, 94 and a carpenter, was charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and fourth-degree obstructing the administration of law, and was issued several summonses, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday.
Hofmann, born in 1929, was still in the Bergen County Jail on Saturday afternoon with no bail set or bail revoked, according to the jail’s website. There was no hearing information listed.
Feliciano-Rosa – the teacher who students at Englewood public schools knew as “Mrs. Rosa” – spent nearly two decades educating students. She had served as a first grade dual language teacher at Dr. John Grieco Elementary School in Englewood since September of 2015.
A GoFundMe page created for the Feliciano-Rosa family had raised over $17,000 toward a goal of $25,000 by Saturday afternoon from 174 donors.
“Liz was a loving wife, mother to three beautiful daughters, mother-inlaw and NeNe to two perfect grandchildren,” the page said. “She was a teacher and a friend, and she is already greatly missed by all.”
Tributes poured in on social media for Feliciano-Rosa, remembering her smile and impact on her community and the Englewood Public School
district.
Teachers changed their profile pictures on Facebook to a black ribbon with the district’s logo in the center.
Feliciano-Rosa was remembered by many for her smile, her energy and as sweetheart.
“Our hearts will forever be broken, but those fortunate enough to be impacted by her love for life, are changed for the better. Rest well, my friend,” one person wrote.
On Saturday afternoon, the nice weather brought out pedestrians, joggers, owners walking dogs and Girl Scouts selling cookies outside a church near the intersection.
The intersection by the downtown area has traffic lights, but no crosswalk signs that alert pedestrians when they can cross the street.
An elderly couple walked passed the flowers for Feliciano-Rosa Saturday afternoon and were still in the crosswalk when a silver SUV drove around them.