Woman remembered with tears, laughter

Lolita Harper

One. Four. Three.

John Rothfuss shared the secret code with the hundreds of

sympathizers who attended his wife’s funeral Friday afternoon at

Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary. It was how Jessica Rothfuss

would tell her husband, “I love you,” without any words.

One letter in “I,” four in “love” and three in “you.” The signal

would flash from the sidelines of the baseball diamond, the back of

their motorcycle or in a dark movie theater, he said.

“If any of you want to communicate with my baby,” he said, his

voice breaking with emotion, “just hold up your fingers in a one,

four, three.”

Love flowed through the chapel of the Newport Beach memorial park

and people shared their precious memories of 32-year-old Jessica

Rothfuss, who died Sunday in her Costa Mesa home. The cause of death

has not been determined. Officials must wait six to eight weeks for

test results.

People waded through a standing-room-only crowd for a chance to

share publicly how Rothfuss had touched their lives. Her friends

described her as loyal. Her family illustrated her loving nature. Her

co-workers said she was cheerful. Her husband called her his soul

mate.

“We were true love,” he said.

A voice crackling with grief would suddenly erupt into laughter as

the storyteller would recall the funny things Jessica Rothfuss would

do. The sanctuary burst with amusement, proving the happiness

Rothfuss spread during her life was still potent even after her

death.

Dozens of pictures of the striking black-haired woman decorated

the lobby, each capturing her carefree demeanor, distinctive style

and radiant smile. Jessica Rothfuss struck poses in her motorcycle

gear, her wedding dress, costumes and childhood portraits. Her arms

were draped around her husband’s broad shoulders. She hugged his

waist as she sat on the back of his motorcycle. Each happy moment was

captured in a still frame and displayed for attendants to remember.

“Baby, I know you don’t want me to hurt,” John Rothfuss said

during a tearful tribute. “I will never forget you. You are always in

my heart, and the memories make me smile. You are my angel, and I

love you, boo.”

“Boo bear.” That was the nickname the young couple had for each

other.

Members of the American Thunder biking club rode their motorcycles

to the service, in tribute to the gorgeous girl John Rothfuss had

introduced them to. When he rode up with the spirited brunet on the

back of his bike for the first time, members of the club said they

knew Jessica Rothfuss was “a keeper.”

Loved ones said they would indeed keep her in their hearts and

take to heart the lessons she taught them. Live, love and laugh

ferociously -- was Jessica Rothfuss’ approach to life.

At the end of the service, her father, Bill Owen, pleaded with the

audience to grant his daughter one wish.

“If Jess would have you do one thing, it would be to love your

brothers and sisters a little bit more today because we do not know

what the road will hold ahead of us,” Owen said.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at [email protected].