Clear, 33° F
(January 10, 2003)
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Union Presbyterian Church for Darwin Oliver (Jack) Rockhold, 81, who died Friday, Jan. 10 at his home at Rocky Mountain Manor in Powell.
The Rev. David Hunter will officiate at services and burial at Crown Hill Cemetery. Graveside military honors will be accorded by the Powell Veterans Honor Guard.
Mr. Rockhold was born Nov. 5, 1921, in Princeton, Mo., to Oliver and Vernelia Rockhold. He attended school in Princeton, and he and his brother, Bob Rockhold, farmed one year for their father there and then came to Powell in 1938 and worked for area farmers.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942. In January of 1944, he was sent to England and was involved in the invasion of France: D-Day plus one with the Fifth Armored Division on June 7, 1944.
He was a tank commander and participated in five major battles in World War II. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 21, 1945, and returned to Powell.
He worked for area farmers and in the Elk Basin oil fields before marrying Betty Smith Bullock on Nov. 10, 1950, at the home of brother and sister-in-law, Dick and Jeannette Smith.
He farmed until his retirement in 1987. He also drove a school bus for 18 years for the Powell schools.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the American Legion Post No. 26. He was given the award of FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer and also FFA Honorary State Farmer. He enjoyed big game hunting, fishing, horses and camping.
Survivors include his wife Betty of the family home; a son, Steve Rockhold and wife Tammy (Vogt) of Littleton, Colo.; a daughter, Virginia Mangin and husband David of Methven, New Zealand; seven grandchildren, Terry Rockhold and Brittany Rockhold of Cheyenne, Emily Rockhold and Leesa Rockhold of Littleton, Aimee Mangin and Timothy Mangin of Methven, New Zealand, and Daniel Rockhold of Van Buren, Maine; one sister, Helen Dickerson of Washington, Iowa; sisters-in-law Maxine Rockhold of Green River and Thelma Rockhold of Ft. Collins, Colo.; brother-in-law Roy Argo of Clio, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Dean Rockhold; four brothers, Wayne, Robert, Harold and Marvin Rockhold; and four sisters, Eva Hines, Hazel Argo, Marguerite Jones and Ruth Virden.
Should friends desire, memorials might be made to the War Memorial Fund, in care of Powell High School. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
