Obituary of Sharon Joan Rothe

It is with deep sorrow and a heavy heart that we share the passing of Sharon Joan Rothe. Sharon passed away surrounded by love on January 29, 2026 at the age of 82. Feisty, passionate and always authentic, she will be missed beyond words.

Born Sharon Joan Arnow on March 17, 1943 to Edward and Gladys Arnow, Sharon grew up in a Jewish home in Brooklyn, NY. Her best childhood memories were spent with extended family during the summer months at her grandparent’s hotel in the Catskills.

Sharon graduated from SUNY Cortland with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1964. She taught English and Drama at both Bound Brook and Middlesex High Schools before obtaining her Masters of Arts Degree  in Theatre and Communications from Montclair State University.

Sharon married Edward Rothe, her high school sweetheart, on July 4 th , 1965. On April 2, 1972, she gave birth to identical twin daughters, Jeri Beth and Raechelle Lee. They lived in Watchung, NJ for over 25 years.

In the early 1980’s, Sharon changed careers and became Public Relations and Marketing Director at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ. There she worked with several famous actors including Christopher Reeves, Maureen Stapleton and Eartha Kitt. Her love of Theatre led her to write and produce her own Cultural Arts TV show, “West of Broadway.” Subsequently, she won 2 Cable Television Awards in 1984 and 1985 for Best Cultural Arts TV show. In the 1990’s Sharon worked off-broadway in NYC at The John Housman and Douglass Fairbanks Jr. Theatres. She was incredibly involved in productions
such as “Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral” and “Nunsense.” She ended her career in Theatre working at Broadway Ticket Connections, retiring in early 2000’s. Shewas a member of The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of TV and Radio Artists (AFTRA) until her passing.

Although Sharon worked full time, she somehow found the time to be an incredibly involved, loving and supportive mother to her twin girls. Sharon was president of the PTA and helped direct the school plays at her daughter’s elementary school. In her spare time, she also obtained her scuba diving certification in 1982. Sharon’s passion was for the ocean and she went scuba diving all over the world well into her 60’s.

Sharon was blessed to have 5 grandchildren who she adored and was heavily involved with their weekly activities and lives. Always available and supportive, not a day went by where she didn’t make them feel loved.

Sharon will be sorely missed and survived by her twin daughters, Jeri Beth Cenziper and Raechelle Rothe Raimondo, son in laws Steven Cenziper and Brett Raimondo, and grandchildren Jordyn and Jaime Cenziper, and Randi, Robert and Ryan Raimondo.

A Funeral service will be on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Stephen J. Priola Parsippany Funeral Service, 60 N Beverwyck Rd, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034. Friends may begin gathering at 10:00am.  Burial to follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery, 83-45 Cypress Hills Street, Glendale NY 11385.  Shiva will be at Jeri Cenziper's home; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to Temple Shalom in Succasunna, NJ.