Charles William "Bill" Rohl

 ST. JOSEPH — Charles William “Bill” Rohl, 86, died peacefully at home in St. Joseph on Sunday morning (Jan. 10, 2021).

Bill was born on Feb. 8, 1934, in Homer, the youngest of the five children of William and Thelma Heselden Rohl. He graduated from Homer High School in the early 1950s. Bill worked at Brewer’s Chevrolet in Homer, drove a school bus for Unit 7, and walked tunnels as a steam distribution operator at the University of Illinois until he retired in 1994. He married his wife, Martha (Mills), on Oct. 21,1979, and moved to St. Joseph in 1989.

Even while working full time, he spent many additional hours doing carpentry work, building and remodeling for businesses and independently. His proudest accomplishment was serving as general contractor and building several houses for himself and family members. After retirement, Bill helped his brother-in-law John Mills with farming work until he had to stop at age 73 because his knees wouldn’t cooperate. For his whole life, he was a strong man and a hard worker.

When he wasn’t working, Bill was often surrounded by friends and neighbors, telling stories of former years in Homer and cracking jokes. An avid football and baseball fan, he cheered on his favorite teams on TV and in person: the Bears, the Cardinals and the St. Joseph- Ogden Spartans. Bill was a fierce card player and especially enjoyed beating people at euchre. He also got a kick out of watching the horses run and figuring out which ones to wager on.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters, Orthalyne Resseler, Olive Neilhaus and Betty Irwin; and survived by his brother, Orville.

He is also survived by his wife Marti; daughters, Becky (John) Bennett and Julie (John) Doorn; sons, Scott (Joy), Shawn (Kelly) Skinner and Chris (Linda); grandchildren, Jeremy, Michael, Melissa, Shane, Todd, Tyson, Erinn, Conrad and Tommy; great-grandchildren, Silas, Oliver, Weston and Rhett; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 11a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 802 E. Douglas St., St. Joseph. Pastor Andrew Jones will officiate. Burial will be in G.A.R. Cemetery, Homer. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at the church Wednesday. Freese Funeral Home, 302 E. Grand Ave., St. Joseph, is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be left at freesefh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in his honor to the St. Joseph-Stanton Fire & Rescue Squad or Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Freese FH 1/12/2021