Obituary of Barry J. Rossheim

A celebration of life service for Barry Rossheim will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church in Venice, with a visitation held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Farley Funeral Home in Venice. Rossheim, 64, died Thursday, June 9, 2022.   

     He was born to Goldie (Maxik) and Louis Rossheim at the Women’s Hospital in Harlem, N.Y. on July 12, 1957.  He graduated from Connetquot High School in 1975, where he ran track and cross country, deciding in elementary school that he wanted to teach.

     Rossheim also ran cross country at Emporia State University in Kansas, graduating in May 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, earning his teaching certificate the next year while working at Iowa Beef Packing Plant.  He married the love of his life, Shala Woolery on May 17, 1980. He completed his Master’s in Education from Wichita State University. The couple moved to Haysville, KS, where he taught science at Campus High School for five years before moving to Florida.  Rossheim loved spending time with family and friends, but especially his two sons. 

         Rossheim was a beloved teacher and zoologist at Venice High for 31 years and at Riverview High School for six years before that.  He launched the Venice High Zoology Club, encouraging his students to become involved in local, national, and international environmental issues.  He led six student trips to Costa Rica with the Costa Rica Global Classroom Project.  A devoted encourager for young people, he also coached girls’ volleyball and freshmen boys’ basketball. He took great pride in his students and their accomplishments. Rossheim was named Sarasota County Environmental Teacher of the Year in 2007 and he was a tireless advocate for his students and fellow colleagues in education.

    Rossheim was an avid birder and was active in several local Audubon chapters.  He led multiple birding trips for local Audubon chapters all over the world, including Costa Rica, Tanzania, South Africa, the Galapagos, Ecuador, Cuba, Colombia, and Guyana.

     Rossheim was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Irene (Ken) Cruikshank.  He is survived by his wife, Shala; sons, David (Alexandria) Rossheim of Denver, Matthew (Chelsea) Rossheim of Fort Worth, and grandson, Ari Rossheim; sister Jeanne (James) Whalen of Long Island, and a host of nieces and nephews. 

 Memorial donations can be made to The Celery Fields in memory of Barry at: sarasotaaudubon.org/donate   (or by mail to Sarasota Audubon, 999 Center Road, Sarasota, FL 34240) or for a Venice High School student scholarship in Barry’s memory checks should be made out to: Gulf Coast Community Foundation, 601 Tamiami Trail South, Venice, FL 34285. Include on the memo line: In Memory of Mr. Rossheim. For the Credit card giving option: Go to gulfcoastcf.org, Select “Give Now” in top right corner, Select “Give to an Existing Fund”, Complete credit card form and include in memory of Mr. Rossheim in special instructions field.

Please visit farleyfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence or to share a memory.