Senator Robert A. Rockhill View All Years

ROBERT A. ROCKHILL

MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable Robert A. Rockhill, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Robert A. Rockhill was born at Larchwood, Iowa, November 24, 1894, the son of Oscar and Hulda Bohnson Rockhill. He was married to Velda Mae Fox in Cedar Rapids, July 18, 1928, and she survives.

Mr. Rockhill was reared and educated in Larchwood; he later attended Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, and eventually transferred to State University of Iowa where he obtained a B.A. in 1920 and an LLB, in 1923.

He then came to Marshalltown to establish a law practice. He was first named City Solicitor in 1927, serving until 1933; in 1952 he again became City Attorney, and served until his retirement in 1974. He had the distinction of serving as Marshalltown’s city attorney longer than any other man in history.

He was a member of the Marshall County Bar Association, serving as president in 1939; he was also a 50-year member of the Iowa Bar Association (being recognized for that distinction in April, 1973) and a member of the National Bar Association.

He served in both World War I and World War II, first as a lieutenant in the infantry as a machine gun officer overseas in 1918, and later, from 1942-44, as staff officer and commanding officer at Ft. Snelling, Minn., a task for which he volunteered. A member of the Army Reserve since 1927, he retired as a major and was cited by the Reserve Officers Association for his 35 years of service.

After leaving the military in 1944, he returned to Marshalltown and was elected to the Iowa Senate to fill the unexpired term of the late B. C. Whitehill. He was a ranking member of the military affairs committee, and served on committees on tax revision, cities and towns, compensation and government affairs, and Board of Control; in 1961, he was a member of the research and municipal education committee of the League of Iowa Municipalities.

In Marshalltown, again he served as president of the Community Chest in 1946 and 1947, served on the board of directors of the Marshall County Red Cross, was a member of the First Congregational Church, a 50-year Mason, a member of the American Legion and a member of the VFW.

He was a Rotarian since 1944, working as secretary of the Frank G. Pierce Trust from its founding in 1954 until his retirement in 1976. In April, 1978, he was named the recipient of Rotary’s Kenneth Brintnall Memorial Award for outstanding service.

Mr. Rockhill died January 25, 1979, at Grandview Heights Nursing Home in Marshalltown. He was preceded in death by a brother, a sister and a granddaughter. Besides his wife, he is survived by two daughters: Dorothy (Mrs. David H) Kruse, New Albin, and Romaine (Mrs. Donald) Mackaman, Marshalltown. There are also five grandchildren, and two brothers and a sister surviving: Leslie Rockhill and Milton W. Rockhill, both of Larchwood, and Rozeta Reyman, formerly of Nevada.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable Robert A. Rockhill, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the Senate by this resolution would express its appreciation of his services to his community, state and nation and tender its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to each member of his family.

ELIZABETH R. MILLER, Chairperson

RAY TAYLOR

JAMES V. GALLAGHER

Committee

The resolution was unanimously adopted.