Carl Rohnke
1932-12-05 2010-08-25
Carl A. Rohnke, a longtime Craig resident, died Aug. 26, 2010, at Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs. He was 77.
Carl, one of 15 children, was born Dec. 5, 1932, in Decatur County, Kan., to Karl and Tena (Jelken) Rohnke.
He was raised in Norcatur, where he attended school and graduated in 1950 after lettering in many high school sports. He attended the University of Montana for one-and-a-half years before joining the Marine Corps in 1953.
He spent most of his service time in Hawaii, and continued to participate in sports. In 1957, upon his discharge, he attended Dodge City Junior College. In the fall of 1957, he enrolled at UNC (Colorado State College) in Greeley on a baseball scholarship, where he participated in the 1958 and 1959 College World Series in Omaha. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1959.
Carl married Kathryn Yearous on Dec. 14, 1958, in Fort Morgan.
Carl moved to Craig in August 1959, and started his 30-year career with Moffat County Schools. He initiated the first elementary physical education program in the early 1960s. After receiving his master’s in 1964 from UNC, he later became an administrator and was principal at Sunset Elementary School until he retired in 1989.
Carl enjoyed town team basketball, fishing, woodworking and golfing. He spent winters at his home in Sun City West, Ariz.
Carl was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and four sisters.
Carl is survived by his wife; daughters, Kristin (Steve) Hentschel, of Pagosa Springs, and Karen, of Craig.
He has a grandson, Carson Hentschel. Also surviving are his brother, Ben (Deanna), of Greeley, and sisters Tena Wimer, of McCook, Neb., Marie McChesney, of Oberlin, Kan., Lillian Hartford, of Helena, Mont., and Gladys Russ, of East Helena, Mont.
He was Uncle Carl to 54 nieces and nephews, and had numerous grandnieces and nephews. He had several cousins.
A celebration of Carl’s life took place Aug. 30, 2010, in the arboretum at Sunset Elementary School with the assistance of Grant Mortuary. Carl was an organ donor and he was cremated.
A scholarship fund has been set up in his name at the Bank of the West in Craig.
Published in Craig Daily Press on Sept. 22, 2010
Carl, one of 15 children, was born Dec. 5, 1932, in Decatur County, Kan., to Karl and Tena (Jelken) Rohnke.
He was raised in Norcatur, where he attended school and graduated in 1950 after lettering in many high school sports. He attended the University of Montana for one-and-a-half years before joining the Marine Corps in 1953.
He spent most of his service time in Hawaii, and continued to participate in sports. In 1957, upon his discharge, he attended Dodge City Junior College. In the fall of 1957, he enrolled at UNC (Colorado State College) in Greeley on a baseball scholarship, where he participated in the 1958 and 1959 College World Series in Omaha. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1959.
Carl married Kathryn Yearous on Dec. 14, 1958, in Fort Morgan.
Carl moved to Craig in August 1959, and started his 30-year career with Moffat County Schools. He initiated the first elementary physical education program in the early 1960s. After receiving his master’s in 1964 from UNC, he later became an administrator and was principal at Sunset Elementary School until he retired in 1989.
Carl enjoyed town team basketball, fishing, woodworking and golfing. He spent winters at his home in Sun City West, Ariz.
Carl was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and four sisters.
Carl is survived by his wife; daughters, Kristin (Steve) Hentschel, of Pagosa Springs, and Karen, of Craig.
He has a grandson, Carson Hentschel. Also surviving are his brother, Ben (Deanna), of Greeley, and sisters Tena Wimer, of McCook, Neb., Marie McChesney, of Oberlin, Kan., Lillian Hartford, of Helena, Mont., and Gladys Russ, of East Helena, Mont.
He was Uncle Carl to 54 nieces and nephews, and had numerous grandnieces and nephews. He had several cousins.
A celebration of Carl’s life took place Aug. 30, 2010, in the arboretum at Sunset Elementary School with the assistance of Grant Mortuary. Carl was an organ donor and he was cremated.
A scholarship fund has been set up in his name at the Bank of the West in Craig.
Published in Craig Daily Press on Sept. 22, 2010
I love this picture of Carl. He almost always had that smile on his face. It's what made him so popular with all the elementary kids he saw thru Sunset Elementary. I still remember many things that he taught us in 8th grade English. We must have been his first teaching job out of college, which I didn't realize at the time. He seemed so old then and he seems so young now! We'll miss your smiling face, Carl. God Bless
tribute by Linda Gooch