Mr. Roth was so many wonderful things. He was kind, he was fair, he was compassionate and he was so wise.  He was the reason for why I made it thru High School. His advice was always spot on, but his lasting impression was for his ability to listen more than talk. I have never forgotten him or the many times I could escape a bad day and hide in his office until my anxiety would subside. All these years later, I wish I would’ve told him how much he impacted my life…but something tells me he knew it already. By the looks of it, he impacted numerous lives, and that’s a great legacy to leave! May you no longer be in pain, but rather, at peace; forever! Thank you for being a part of our world. Fly high, sir.

During my childhood I knew John as Uncle Jonny Roth. He was one of my father’s best friends. I have so many fond memories of him. I last saw him in 2014 when my father passed. He was the same man I loved as my uncle for so many years. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time of loss. I know he was a wonderful, loving man. May God bless him and keep him. 

 I had the privilege of having Mr. Roth at General John Stricker 76-78, Social Studies.  I absolutely loved him. I have been looking for him since graduating in 82, to hand back my penny. I won his best costume contest for China. I took a collection up and bought him a bowling ball and bag and my mom bring a cake for his birthday. I am devastated I wasn't able to see him again, so close. I love and respect you. You class favorite Barb

John was a unique individual and truly a good man.  I think the thing that makes him so special was his ability to make everyone he met feel special. You are deeply missed good friend.

Mr. Roth was such an amazing human. His sweet nature and kindness was felt by so many students that he counseled, including me when I was a high school student. Mr. Roth was such an advocate for those that he helped. I would certainly not be the person that I am today if I did not meet him. 

I met Mr. Roth during one of the lowest points in my life.  I found myself facing a difficult life even that left me feeling completely lost, alone, and abandoned by almost all of the people that I trusted in my life.  Mr. Roth not only helped me to build up the confidence that I needed to face my situation with strength, but he stood behind me and supported me along the entire journey. Mr. Roth had such a positive impact on my life that I decided to write and dedicate my senior speech to him. I will never forget the joy and emotions I felt when I looked out into the audience and saw that Mr. Roth had taken the time to come to my high school and watch me present my speech, it was such a highlight of my life. 

Later in life, I decided to become a teacher in the hopes that I would be able to impact children in a positive way and help them to overcome challenges in the same ways that Mr. Roth had helped me when I was one of his students. 

I will never forget Mr. Roth and everything that he did for me. I hope that I will make him proud and that his positive light will always continue to shine on through me. Mr. Roth you will always be remembered for the people that you helped and I will forever be grateful that I was lucky enough to get to know you. 

Rest easy, old friend.

Thanksgiving Day,  Loyola Vs. Calvert Hall.  1st at Memorial Stadium and later at M&T.  (Sky Box for a couple of Years) Having Breakfast at Double T or Towson Diner's, Going to the game, then to Griffin's Ice House after,  this was Quality time with a Good Man.  He was always fun to be with and he knew how to Live.  The Regular's at Griffin's always looked for the Loyola Boy's on Thanksgiving, Paul (Buzz), Jack, Jim P & John....
... He'll be missed



Mr Roth...You made those tumultuous days bearable with a “come on in, sit down, tell me what’s new”... Calling me by my name spelled backwards softened the room. Well calculated. Timely. Consistent. That’s who you were in my eyes. Trust worthy, hopeful, kind, forgiving, joyous, no judgement. All things that are seemingly  hard to come by to a teen. You, emulated them. Well done, kind friend. Well done. We were the lucky ones....Until next time. 

I had the privilege and honor of being a counselor at Hereford High School for 10 years and working in an office next to John.  He shared the same vision we all had in the counseling office- we worked FOR the students and WITH everyone else. Those years were filled with many good times and a tremendous amount of laughter as we teamed together to help students maximize their personal and academic goals. But there were also some very difficult days when we were confronted with the  tragic and unexpected deaths of some of our students, and national tragedies , such as 9/11, that sent shock waves throughout the school community. Throughout the good and bad times, John's sense of humor, compassion, and spiritual faith continually inspired all of us, especially since we knew he was dealing with his own significant health and personal challenges. 
Amy , Eric, Emily and Brad- know that there is nobody who loved his children and grandchildren more than your Dad and Grandpa. We would hear about each of you and your family adventures every day at lunch, and we would all admire his dedication to his family and his community service with the Knights of Columbus. 
Rest in peace my brother- I will always treasure our friendship and comradery- working together to help students navigate the difficulties of adolescence, combining our forces to challenge an administrator or two whose ego and agenda may have negatively impacted their judgment and led to decisions that would not be in the students' best interest, and our scheming together to prank a faculty, administrator, or staff member.  
May the peace of God be with all whom are impacted by John's passing. 

Mr. Roth was one of a kind.  Sincerely cared about his students.  He never turned us away when we wanted to escape the crazy Hereford halls at lunch or after school.  He was part of the counseling team that guided me through my AFROTC scholarship application process... 14 years in the AF now.  I’m forever grateful for  Mr. Roth’s dedication and compassion.  Heaven has gained another great🙏🏻❤️ 

Mr. Roth you will be missed by so many people. I will hold onto our memories of going to the Ravens game cheering on our favorite guys and sitting in your office at school talking about high school sports. Thank you for those memories I will cherish them forever. 

Damien 

I worked with John for 2 years. Never met a kinder man. He had a big heart, loved the kids, and loved to take time to listen to them. The world was a better place with him in it! 

John was my colleague for 15 years - I will always cherish my career beginnings with John and our crew. He will be remembered for his heart of gold. His compassion for his family, friends, pets, and his students was always so real. Rest In Peace, Rothman. —Liser 

I only knew John for 2 plus years, but during this short time, I came to feel the goodness of this man.  At first, he could be hard to approach.  He was a bit gruff.  However, once you broke through this exterior, the inner beauty shone through brightly.  He was a deeply caring man and someone I was proud to call a friend.  Rest in piece John.

John was exactly the type of person I hoped to meet in the Knights of Columbus - thoughtful, compassionate, caring - a Practical Catholic Gentleman in the highest sense. I considered John both a mentor and friend, and I will remember his example as I move through life. Vivat Jesus Worthy PFN!

OBITUARY

John Martin Roth Jr.

12 April, 1946 – 22 March, 2021

Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc.

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