Charles A. Rota

Madison- Reverend Charles A. Rota, age 101, of Madison, passed away on Thursday, January 31, 2019 at Oakwood Village Settlers Ridge Apartments. He was born on April 17, 1917, in Readsboro, VT, the son of Carlo and Romilda (Battisti) Rota. A coal miner’s son, Charles grew up in mining towns in the mountains of Pennsylvania. During his high school years, he lived in an orphanage and graduated from Somerset High School. Charles then traveled with no money or income to the Midwest where he would spend most of his life. He graduated from North Central College in Naperville, IL, and then received his Master of Divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary. Charles married Ruth Trachte on June 8, 1943, in Madison, WI, a blissful marriage of 56 years until Ruth’s passing in 1999. Charles served churches in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, and Minnesota. Shortly after his retirement, Charles, along with his wife Ruth, served as an interim minister in Wisconsin and Florida, and as chaplain at a Texas retirement RV village in the winters for 10 years. In his retirement years Charles enjoyed dancing, meditating and seeking spiritual enlightenment, reading, sharing his life with family and friends, exercising and walking, bird watching, and gratefully waking up to a new day. Charles is survived by daughter, Betsy (Dave Dopp) Rota; sons, George (Marilyn) Rota, and David (Margaret) Rota; grandchildren, Benjamin (Annie) Rota, Matthew (Beth) Rota, Birgitta (Matt) Piscitelli, Charlie (Ginger) Rota, and Emily (Alec Ferry) Rota; great-grandchildren Henrietta Rota, Charlotte Rota, Arlo Rota, Monet Rota, Mia Rota, and Joseph Piscitelli; nieces Amy (Bill) Barlock, Betsy (James) Dalziel, and Mary Lee (Tom) Gleason; nephews Jay Snell, Andy (Michelle) Snell; grand-nieces, Emily Bond, Amanda Ford, Abby Gleason, Alena Barlock, and Kathleen Dalziel; grand-nephews, Alejandro Barlock, Archibald Dalziel, and Scott Dalziel; and dear friend and dancing partner, Dolly Dresang. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth; his sister, Kathleen (Gene); and his parents. A Memorial Service will be held at OAKWOOD VILLAGE EAST TREE OF LIFE CHAPEL, 5565 Tancho Dr. Madison, at 10 a.m on Saturday, May. 4, 2019 Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, Agrace HospiceCare, or Oakwood Foundation. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive 608-221-5420