Obit: Rohde, Gilbert (1913-1999)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Rohde, Wilke, Pfremmer, Wehling, Schwarze, Kmosena, Nibbe, Woychik

---Source: Marshfield News-Herald (28 September 1999)

Rohde, Gilbert C. (9 September 1913-27 September 1999)

GREENWOOD-- Gilbert C. Rohde, 86, of Eau Claire, formerly of Greenwood, entered into rest September 27, 1999, at Sacred Hospital in Eau Claire.

Funeral services will be Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Loyal with the Rev. Daniel Zimmerman officiating.

Burial will follow in the Loyal Lutheran Cemetery, pallbearers will be his grandsons, Dean, Douglas, Jay, Todd, Steven, Shannon and Gregory Rohde. Honorary pallbearers will be his granddaughters Tanya Wilke, Sonia Rohde, Tamara Pfremmer, Kimberly Premmer, Julia, Jennifer and Dana Rohde.

Visitation will be at the Rinka Funeral Home in Loyal.

Gilbert was born September 9, 1913, in a log house on the home farm in Greenwood to Edward and Agnes (nee Wehling) Rohde. He attended Eaton Center State Graded School and graduated from Greenwood High School at the age of 16 in 1930. He then went to River Falls State Teacher's College in 1930 to 1931. His mother passed away in October 1931 of throat cancer which resulted him staying on the home farm. In 1934 he attended the University of Wisconsin Short Course in Agriculture as part of a government-sponsored program. In 1936 he was employed by the Clark County Committee as chief clerk of the Soil Conservation Society Program in Neillsville.

On September 9, 1937, he was married to Lucille Schwarze in the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Greenwood. In 1940 he was promoted to administrative assistant in charge of personnel at the State Soil Conservation office in Madison and moved his family there, In 1942 he left his position with the Soil Conservation Society and entered into a partnership with his father on the home farm in Greenwood. His father passed away in 1949 and Gilbert and Lucille continued full-time farming until 1959.

He was active on the Eaton Town Board, the Eaton Center School Board and was a 4-H leader. In 1959 he was selected president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union headquartered in Chippewa Falls and a year later was elected to the Executive Board of the National Farmers Union. In 1961 he was appointed to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents by Governor Reynolds and served a six-year term. Mr. Rohde served as president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union for a 20 year period until his retirement in 1979. During his presidency the organization grew to about 12,000 family farmers. During this time, President Johnson established a number of Great Society programs. This allowed Gilbert to establish a Neighborhood Youth Program within the Wisconsin Farmers Union within the Wisconsin Farmers Union with Ed Woychik as director of the program. Later the National Farmers Union created a Green Thumb program that allowed for the establishment of a Wisconsin Green Thumb Program headquartered in Neillsville under the direction of John Kmosena.

Gilbert was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Loyal and was president of the congregation for many years. He was very active in the American Lutheran Church COmmission. For the decades of the 1960s and 1970s Mr. Rohde served on the boards of National Farmer's Insurance, National Green Thumb and National Dairy Board along with numerous state boards that dealt with agricultural policy and social issues. In 1976-1977 Gilbert was honored as an Outstanding Alumni of Greenwood High School and a Distinguished Agriculturist at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Since his retirement in 1979, Mr. Rohde resided in Greenwood and spent the winters in Zephyrhlls, Florida. In addition to living on the farm, he enjoyed spending time during the summer months at the family cottage on Sand Lake near Spooner. Prior to his death, he and Lucille moved from their home on the 26 Road in Greenwood to Eau Claire in January 1999.

Gilbert will be sadly missed by his wife Lucille of Eau Claire; his children Gary (Helen) of River Falls, Richard (Marjorie) of Greenwood, Alan (Peggy) of Lake Geneva, Gil Jr. (Bonnie) of Woodbury, Minnesota, and LeAnn (Tom) Pfremmer of Eau Claire; his grandchildren, Dean (Laurie), Douglas (Pamela), Steven Rohde, Tanya (Bob) Wilke, Todd, Shannon and Sonia Rohde, Dana and Jay (Julie) Rohde, Julia, Jennifer and Greggory Rohde, Tamara and Kimberly Pfremmer; great-grandchildren, Jackson and Kaitlyn Rohde, Mason and Madison Rohde, Taylre and Ryleigh Wilke; and his sisters, Alice Rohde of Eau Claire and Velma (John) Nibbe of Abbotsford. Gilbert was a fair and honest man, who loved politics and fishing, was always a voice for the farmer and a strong supporter of education. He made time for everyone in his life, listening to them and offering his unending encouragement, support and advice. He took great pride in each member of his family and looked forward to family gatherings.