James Patrick Rotchford, MD

James Patrick Rotchford, MD, was born January 1, 1928 in Spokane Washington, son of Dr. Robert Lee and Gertrude Montague Rotchford. Dr. Rotchford passed peacefully at INOVA Fairfax Hospital on October 9, 2019. He is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Mary Cooney Rotchford, and his four siblings. He is survived by their children; Michael Joseph Rotchford, Ellen Joy Rotchford, Brian James Rotchford, Mary Anne Rotchford Doland, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Dr. Rotchford attended Gonzaga High School in Spokane, Washington, University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, and Georgetown Medical School in Washington DC., where he met a lovely nurse, Mary Cooney. They married in Washington, DC in 1954, and were stationed at Payne Air Force Base outside Seattle, Washington that same year. After the Air Force, Dr. Rotchford joined his father’s General Practice for a brief time in Spokane until his acceptance into residency at NYU, specializing in Dermatology. They then returned to Spokane, adopted their four children from 1962-1966, and then relocated to Arlington, VA, making VA their second home. Dr. Rotchford enjoyed a 29 year career in private practice, as they raised four children with Mary working beside him as his nurse until he retired in 1995. There will be a Memorial Gathering Sunday October 13 from 4-6 p.m. at Murphy's Funeral home in Arlington, Virginia. Services will be held at Saint James Catholic Church on Monday, October 14 at 10am in Falls Church, Virginia. Private interment.