Robert George Rockel

Robert George Rockel, 91, went to be with his Lord and Savior on May 31, 2015. He was born in Lincoln, NE to Emma and George Rockel. He married his beloved Betty Ann Knaub on November 28, 1942, who preceded him in death in 2012. He is survived by a daughter, Sherry and husband, Ed Beltram, of Woodland Park, CO, and son, Bobby Rockel, and wife, Sheri, of Oklahoma City. Survivors also include four grandchildren, Dustin, Cody, Blake and Rachel; three great grandchildren, Graeme, Jadyn and Madilyn; two brothers, Bill Rockel and Art Rockel and their wives, Jo Ann and Shirley in Lincoln; sister-in-law Shirley Lehl of Lincoln, and seven nieces and nephews. His brother and sister-in-law, George and Lois Rockel, preceded him in death. He served in the U.S. Army from March 27, 1943 to Feb. 5, 1946. During World War II, he was a member of the 88th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, serving in campaigns in Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. He continued his military service in the Nebraska National Guard and later the Army Reserve, becoming a 1st Lt. on May 18, 1951 and received an honorable discharge on Aug, 27, 1958. In 1946 he went to work for Western Electric in Lincoln as a shop employee while earning his adult high school diploma in June of 1947. He transferred to the Western Electric plant in Oklahoma City on June 15, 1958 as an Engineering Associate. He became a supervisor at Western Electric in 1959, and retired on April 28, 1989. As a teenager, he built crystal radio sets. His later hobbies were golf, woodworking, creating stained glass lampshades and windows. He was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunderbird Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers and participated in its community service projects. He was a member of the Messiah Lutheran Church, 3600 Northwest Expressway, where services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 6, 2015 with interment at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Smith and Kernke Funeral Home, 14624 N. May, from 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 5, 2015. Memorials may be made to the Messiah Lutheran School, 3600 Northwest Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.