John A. Rocco

John A. Rocco (June 25, 1936 – April 8, 2020) was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1980 to 1998, where he represented the 6th Legislative District. Rocco also served as Mayor of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Biography Born in South Philadelphia, Rocco was accepted at the age of 6 into Girard College. From 1964 to 1968, he was the principal of Woodcrest School, part of the Cherry Hill Public Schools. From 1968 to 1979, he was an associate professor at Camden County College, and then that school's director of continuing education.

Elected office Rocco served as mayor of Cherry Hill from 1975 to 1977 and was a member of its township council from 1977 to 1979. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1980 and 1988. In 1979, Rocco was elected to the Assembly together with running mate Thomas J. Shusted, unseating Democratic incumbents Barbara Berman and Mary Keating Croce. In the Assembly, Rocco was the Assistant Minority Whip in 1984 and 1985, Speaker Pro Tempore from 1986 to 1989 and was the Deputy Speaker starting in 1992. He served as Chair of the Education Committee and as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Schools. In December 1997, Rocco introduced legislation in the Assembly that would ban public school students from selling candy and other fundraising items door to door, as well as prohibit programs that offered students incentives for higher sales figures. In 1997, Rocco lost to Democratic incumbent John Adler in the race for the New Jersey Senate by a margin of 53%-47%.

Death Rocco died of respiratory failure on April 8, 2020, at a hospice in Voorhees Township, New Jersey.