1/12/1935 - 1/17/2023
Ernie was born January 12, 1935, to Ed and Sarah Rockhold. In 1940, the family bought their own farm near Baldwin City, KS, where he grew up with his older brothers Lyle and Bob, and younger sister Doris. His first school was a one-room schoolhouse, and his first job was a paper boy carrying the KC Star. In high school, he worked part-time in a hardware store. After graduating from Baldwin High School in 1952, he worked full time for the Baldwin Ledger newspaper, thus beginning his career in the printing industry.
In 1953, he met Wanda Lea Randall of Colorado Springs. They were married on September 10, 1954. In Colorado Springs, he worked for a small printing company, responsible for the military newspapers of the area. His daughters Vicci and Lorie were born in Colorado Springs.
In 1962, the family moved to Ft Dodge, Iowa. While in Ft. Dodge he worked for Walterick Printing Company and their third daughter Judy was born. In late 1965, the family moved to Omaha, and he worked for the Interstate Printing Company. Ernie retired from Interstate Printing in 2000, but found a "retirement" job driving for the Omaha Auto Auction until 2019.
Ernie's home was near a private airport. In 1969, he obtained his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying about 26 different small aircraft planes. This small airport became his “coffee shop” on Saturdays (when he would treat the pilots to donut balls) and then every morning in later years just to sit, watch and visit with the pilots and airport staff who all called him by name.
Ernie and Wanda loved to travel. They took vacations to Hawaii, California, Nova Scotia, the New England area and more. They also made many trips to visit family in Colorado and Kansas.
June 2020 brought heartache with the loss of his sweetheart, Wanda. His poem " A Wife" is a testament of their love and 65 years of marriage.
Ernie trusted the Lord Christ Jesus as his own personal Savior at the age of nine. He would tell everyone he met of the love, joy and peace found in a personal relationship with the Lord. He wrote and memorized many poems. His poetry speaks to his love of writing down his thoughts and telling the story of Jesus. His sermons speak to his love for the Word of God. His prayers and daily walk speak to the relationship he had with his Heavenly Father.
January 17, 2023, Ernie entered the realm of Glory and was received by "our Loving God, and Heavenly Father. “
Ernie is survived by his daughter, Vicci (deceased husband, David) with their two daughters, Candace (husband, Chris with children, Connor and Caelyn) and Tabitha (husband, Jon with children, Elijah and Abigail); Lorie (husband, Vern) with their three sons, Mitch (wife, Rene and son, Korben), Lucas (wife, Lauren and sons, Breckyn and Caldyr), and Kenny (wife, Jenna); Judy (husband, David) with their children, Josh and Courtney; also survived by three siblings, Lyle Rockhold, Robert "Bob" Rockhold, Doris Everhart and many other family and friends
Visitation: Friday, January 27 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Keystone Bible Chapel, 7840 Maple St., Omaha, NE
Celebration of Ernie's Life Service: Saturday, January 28 at 1:30 pm at Keystone Bible Chapel
Ernie will be laid to rest at a private family committal service Saturday morning
In lieu of flowers, memorials to: Keystone Bible Chapel
For more details, visit: bramanmortuary.com
To send flowers to the family in memory of Ernest Milton Rockhold, please visit our flower store.