John Rolfes

John Rolfes, dear father, grandfather, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 18, 2025, at the age of 92. He is now happily reunited with the great love of his life, Carol.
He leaves behind his five children, Chris (Steve) Wilson, John Rolfes, Katie (Scott) O'Shea, Suzie Heilman, and Elizabeth (Jim) Bodziony, his beloved dog Finn, and twelve adored and adoring grandchildren.
Very few people called him John. To almost everyone, he was Pops, a name that fit him perfectly. It meant warmth, a loud laugh you could pick out instantly, and a presence that made any room feel fuller.
When Carol fell ill, John became the full-time caretaker for her and their kids. To many, this may have been an unexpected and daunting event. For John, spending every day taking care of Carol and their family became his greatest joy and purpose in life. John spent much of his working life building Rolfes Marketing alongside his father, brothers, nephew, and his son. But his true gift, and the legacy he leaves behind, is how he brought people together.
In John and Carol's home, the door may as well have been a revolving one. Friends were rarely announced but always welcomed. Mornings at the house started with the smell of goetta and eggs in the kitchen and Pops reading the newspaper at the table, laughing, and occasionally groaning about the Browns, the Tribe or politics. Evenings returned to the table, where long dinners took place with generous pours from the big gallon of wine everyone called "Big Red." Around that table, Pop's voice filled the room. He had a booming, contagious laugh, and when he called you "Dearheart," it wasn't just a term of affection, it was a mark of the special place you held in his heart.
Just a week before he passed, all five kids gathered around that same table for dinner with Pops. This was the kind of night that made him happiest. Surrounded by the people he loved most in the world, his greatest pride and joy. He felt content and at peace, ready to join his loving wife Carol once again.
Though we will miss him terribly, we will always think of Pop's and honor him in the places he made feel like home; in doors that keep swinging open for friends new and old, gathered around the tv watching a game, in a warm kitchen, and in the laughter around a crowded dinner table. In the days and years ahead, we will continue to feel the presence and love of the heart of our family, our dear Pops.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to the St. Malachi Center, 2416 Superior Viaduct, Cleveland, Ohio 44113.
Services will be held at St. Malachi Church (West 25th and Detroit Ave., Cleveland), Saturday, December 20,2025. 9:30 am visitation with mass directly following at 10:30 am.