Services Set For Beloved Mendham Teen, Lacrosse Captain

MENDHAM, NJ - Beloved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, student, friend and teammate, Matthew Thomas LaRosa died suddenly Wednesday and will be remembered Sunday and laid to rest Monday.

The 18-year-old senior at West Morris Mendham High School was an honors student and a member of the National Honor Society. He was an accomplished lacrosse player having spent years playing for Patriot Elite Lacrosse and multiple years on the Mendham High School Varsity Lacrosse team where he was proud to be named a Captain of the team, according to the obituary provided by the Bailey Funeral Home.

LaRosa aspired to attend college and study business upon graduation from high school this year.

LaRosa truly loved time spent with his friends, and you would often find him at the gym, on the soccer or lacrosse fields, at a basketball court, out for a bite to eat or just hanging out with these beloved friends, his family noted.

The Morris Sussex Sports group posted they were saddened to report that Mendham High School unexpectedly lost LaRosa.

"Matthew was also a member of the Morris-Sussex sports community as the leader and captain of the Minuteman lacrosse team," they posted to Facebook. "We are calling on the community help support Matt’s family, classmates, teammates, teachers and school officials as they deal with their tragic loss."

Matty will be lovingly remembered by his parents, Jeffrey and Amy LaRosa, and his brothers, Joseph and Timothy LaRosa. Matty will also be fondly remembered by his maternal grandparents, Susan and Rupert Hauser, and his paternal grandparents, Thomas and Patricia LaRosa. Some of his best memories were spent on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH with Bah, Grammy, his Aunt and Uncle, Amy and Robert Hauser, and cousins, Grace and Robert Hauser, Jr, the family said.

He also cherished his time at Friends Lake, NY with Papa, Gram, his Aunt and Uncle, Joyce and Scott LaRosa, and cousins, Christopher and Benjamin LaRosa and loved his dog, Abby, according to the obituary.

Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at Bailey Funeral Home, 8 Hilltop Road. A Funeral Service will be held at St. Joseph Church, Mendham on Monday at 10:30 a.m. A private family interment to follow at Hilltop Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity that is special to you, the family said. Organizations that are meaningful to the LaRosa family include the Mendham High School Minutemen Sports Club, the Mendham Fire Department, Junior Achievement of New Jersey and Mylestone Equine Rescue.