- ST.
NORBERT ABBEY
- DE
PERE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.
- Rev.
Joseph A. Rohlinger, O. Praem.
- b. Sunday, Jan. 24,
1915 – d. Friday, Sept. 13, 2002
Our
brother Joseph Rohlinger was born in Ashland, Wisconsin
in 1915. After graduating from
St.
Norbert High, he joined the Order in 1935, but had to leave because of severe
eye problems. He returned to be
vested again in 1939 and was solemnly professed in 1943.
In
1945, Joe was appointed athletic director at Southeast Catholic but relinquished
the position in 1950 to become athletic director at Central Catholic.
Joe
spent 26 summers at Camp Tivoli as activities director and counselor before
being appointed to Premontre in 1955, where he was a counselor and managed the
school cafeteria until 1986. “Rocky,” as he was called by the students, was
a firm disciplinarian, and seemed to know all the boys’
tricks.
A
man with a tremendously big heart and compassionate soul with the strength of a
bull, he was admired by all the students he cared for, as well as his confreres.
A negative criticism about others never passed his lips.
As his eyesight continued to deteriorate, he retired to the abbey, where
he died Friday, September 13, 2002 at the age of 87.
