John Birger ROKKE

ROKKE, HEDSTEIN, MEHUS, NELSON, OSCARSON, HALVORSON, WRIGHT, SKJARET

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/7/2007 at 10:52:32

January 7, 2004

John Birger Rokke, 92, of Belmond, died on Friday, January 2, 2004. Funeral services were held on Sunday, January 4, at the St. Olaf Lutheran Church in rural Belmond, with Pastor Lowell H. Halvorson officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery.
Organist was Carol Severson. Ushers were Alfred Johnson and Clifford Toft. Casket bearers were Jared Rokke, Jason Rokke, Steve Prohaska, Wayne Lonnevik, Bob Berns and Nelson Rokke. Honorary bearers were Paul Thompson, Martina Rokke, Kirsten Rokke, Roger Lonnevik, Byron Nelson, Curtis Nelson, Gina Prohaska and Arlie Olson.

John was born on June 26, 1911 in Skatval, Norway the son of Paul and Martine Hedstein Rokke. He was baptized and confirmed in the Skatval Kirke. He attended country school in Norway where he excelled in track. John worked on the farm until the age of 18, when he immigrated to America and the home of his Uncles Nickolie and Henry Nelson and Aunt Kristine and Oline Mehus. He worked as a farm hand for Jake and Gerhard Thompson and at the Olaf elevator. During the summer of 1936 he worked on a fishing boat in Alaska. He married Hazel Oscarson on October 7, 1939 at the Danish Lutheran Church in Alden, Minnesota. They farmed near Olaf for 40 years, moving to Belmond in 1979. They spent winters in Arizona for 14 years, traveled frequently, and visited his brother and sister in Norway many times. Hazel died in 1988 and John continued to work on the farm and in his woodworking shop. John married Arlet Halvorson Nelson at the Little Brown Church on August 19, 1989. They lived in Belmond.

Preceding him in death were his first wife; daughter, Charlotte Wright; six brothers; and one sister. Survivors include his wife; son-in-law, Paul Wright of Clarksville, Tennessee; sons, Paul (Charlotta) Rokke of Belmond and Rev. Douglas (Randi Jo) Rokke of LaPorte City; Curtis (Dale) Nelson of Grandview, Missouri; Byron (Sue) Nelson of Evans, Georgia; brother, Helge Rokke of Sacramento, California; sister, Margit Skjaret of Opphaug, Norway; grandchildren, Gina, Jared, Jason, Martina, Nelson, Kirsten, Troy, Eric, Sara, Michelle and Jennifer; and 6 great-grandchildren.

©Belmond Independent 2004