Sally Gentile Rosandich, a longtime resident of Loma Alta Towers in Daphne, died on June 28, 2016. She was 81 years old.
She was the only child of Marion LaBlonde Gentile and Nicholas John Gentile of Hurley, Wisconsin. Both preceded her in death.
Rosandich, a Spanish and English teacher, received her bachelor of science degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and continued her Spanish studies at Mexico City College and the University of Mexico.
She taught English and Spanish at Brookfield High School before moving to Jakarta, Indonesia, with her husband, Thomas P. Rosandich and his four sons, Thomas J., Steve, Mark and Gregory. Their two daughters, Michele and Nicki, were both born in Indonesia.
During the four years the family resided in Jakarta, she taught English as a foreign language to Indonesians at the first of several Sports Academies developed by her husband. Upon returning to the United States, she and her husband developed and ran Olympia Sport Village in northern Wisconsin, a sport training camp for young athletes from all over the United States. In 1972, she and her husband founded the United States Sports Academy in Wisconsin and moved the institution to Mobile, Alabama in 1976. She and the family resided in Mobile for 12 years before moving to Daphne in 1988.
Following the founding of the U.S. Sports Academy, Sally played many roles within the institution as it grew, including serving as its first secretary and finance director. Sally also served as a member of the academy’s Board of Trustees for several years.
She traveled extensively throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe with her husband, contributing to the development of many sports education and service programs abroad, some of which still exist to this day.
Sally was an active member in various clubs and Mardi Gras organizations, having served as a chair for the annual ball and emblem in one of them. Her interests also extended to other business enterprises, having served as a member of the board of directors of a local bank for several years and an officer of the condominium complex in which she lived.
She is survived by her husband, Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich; daughters, Michele and Nicki (Matthew) of Daphne; sons, Dr. T.J. (Janice) of Fairhope; Steve (Jayne) of Worthington, Ohio and Mark of Miami Beach, Florida; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; cousin, Tom LaBlonde of Ironwood, Michigan; and numerous other cousins.
She was preceded in death by her son, Gregory (Reba) of Semmes; her uncles, Guido and Teddy Gentile of Hurley, Wisconsin; aunts, Clara Gentile Petranek of Wakefield, Michigan, Doris Gentile Gerken of St. Charles, Missouri, Rosie Gentile of Hurley, Wisconsion and Viola Gentile Allen of Madison, Wisconsin.
A memorial service will be held for family and friends at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home of Fairhope, 19698 S. Greeno Road, Fairhope, AL 36532. Visitation will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, 2016, with a service to follow at 3 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the United States Sports Academy, One Academy Drive, Daphne, AL 36526.
Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., 19698 Greeno Road, Fairhope, AL 36532, 251-990-7775, www.wolfefuneralhomes.com.
