Duane K. Rohde

Duane K. Rohde, age 86, of Lake View, IA, passed away on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at his home in Lake View. Duane was born on August 8, 1927, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Carroll, IA to William Adam Rohde and Jennie (Schoeneboom) Rohde. He grew up in Herring, IA and attended a one room country school, where he excelled and graduated from the eighth grade. Duane referred to this as Herring High School. He farmed with family in the area and worked briefly for the railroad. Duane enlisted in the Navy on September 7, 1945 at the age of 18 and shipped out to boot camp in San Diego 10 days later on September 17th.

During his four year tour of service with the Navy on a Destroyer Escort, Duane visited Guam, Japan, Korea and many other ports of call in the South Pacific. During his tour of duty he was involved in evacuating the Japanese soldiers that still remained entrenched on the islands at the end of World War II. Duane also talked frequently about their ships involvement in Operation Sandstone, which was the detonation of atomic bombs in the Marshall Islands to study their effect upon naval vessels. In 1948, Duane was top side and witnessed up close, the detonation of the atomic bomb on Eniwetok Island. After his four year tour of duty in the Navy, Duane returned to the Wall Lake area. On August 25, 1950, Duane married Ardell Greve in St. Joseph Catholic Church. They lived and farmed in the Fonda area for a few years and then returned to Wall Lake where Duane worked for Neppel Hatchery and drove truck. Duane and Ardell owned and operated the Midway Café in Wall Lake for 10 years.

Duane was Chief of Police of Wall Lake for six years and was elected as the Sac County Sheriff in 1969. Duane proudly served as Sac County Sheriff for over 23 years, serving from 1969-1992. He was very active in the professional associations representing Sheriff’s and Deputies at the local, regional and national levels. He was also very active serving and participating in several local and civic organizations, including the Wall Lake Fire Department, Sac County Sportsman’s Club, American Legion, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Birthday Club and served as lay minister at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake where he was a member. Duane was an active outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and shooting sports of all kinds. He regularly qualified as a “Top Ten” trap shooter at the Sac County Sportsman’s Club and bagged a white tail buck that ranks high in the Iowa record books. He grew up hunting, fishing and trapping along the Boyer River with his brothers and loved sharing hunting stories with anyone that would listen.

Survivors include his wife, Ardell of Lake View; his children: Deb Rohde of Denver, CO; Bill (Karen) Rohde of Sunrise Beach, MO; Diane Rohde (Ed) Stevens of Kearney, NE; Tom Rohde of Manchester, IA; and Rodney Rohde of Scottsdale, AZ; grandchildren: Andrea Rohde (Dustin) Dinning of Coeur D Alene, ID, Nick (Christie) Rohde of Columbia, MO, Rachel Stevens of Dallas, TX, and Colby Rohde of Denver, CO; great-grandchildren: Madeline and Audrey Dinning; and Colin and Cruz Rohde. Other survivors include his brothers: Wilbert (Cecilia) Rohde of Wall Lake and Marvin (Helen) Rohde of Lake View; sister Bernita Carsten of Wall Lake; many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.

Duane K. Rohde, age 86, of Lake View, IA, passed away on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at his home in Lake View. Duane was born on August 8, 1927, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Carroll, IA to William Adam Rohde and Jennie (Schoeneboom) Rohde. He grew up in Herring, IA and attended a one room country school, where he excelled and graduated from the eighth grade. Duane referred to this as Herring High School. He farmed with family in the area and worked briefly for the railroad. Duane enlisted in the Navy on September 7, 1945 at the age of 18 and shipped out to boot camp in San Diego 10 days later on September 17th.