Carl Steffen Rohwer
January 13, 1915 ~ April 5, 2006
Rohwer, Carl Steffen, 91, retired petroleum accountant, died Wednesday, April 05, 2006. He was born January 13, 1915 in Lincoln County, Kansas, the son of Henry J. and Jennie Rohwer. At the age of 15 he was stricken with polio which made it necessary for him to walk on crutches until 1997 when post polio syndrome made it necessary for him to go into a wheel chair. Carl was educated in Pleasant Valley and Lincoln, Kansas High school. He received his BA degree from Fort Hays State University in 1939. He lived in Manhattan, Kansas until 1942 when he took employment with W. N. Bartlett of Wichita, Kansas, married Mildred H. King of Wichita on September 30, 1951 and continued with Bartletts various oil companies until 1977. Carl served as Fort Hays State University Trustee and on the Boards for Kansas Petroleum Accountants Association, the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas and Larksfield Place. He was a member of Albert Pike and Scottish Rite Masonic Lodges. In 1994, Carl was given the Distinguished Service award by Fort Hays State University. Carl was preceded in death by his wife Mildred, three sisters, Catherine of Chicago, Metha Atwood of Lincoln, Kansas and Dorothy Storey of Wichita. He is survived by a niece, Janice Carson of Fort Worth, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, April 8, at Larksfield Place. Memorials may be made to Fort Hays State University Endowment Association, 610 Park St., Hays, Kansas, 67601 or Larksfield Place Circle of Friends, 7373 E. 29th N., Wichita, Kansas, 67226. Downing Lahey Mortuary East.
Private family interment.
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Ms Janice Carson Fort Worth, Texas Dear Janice, On behalf of the Fort Hays State Alumni Association, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy on the loss of your uncle, Carl Rohwer. Schools such as Fort Hays State University are built by a generation of alumni and friends such as Carl, and the entire Tiger community is diminished by their passing. Carl was an outstanding man and dedicated FHSU supporter. In addition to his work as an Endowment Trustee, he was devoted to helping the university in any way he could. Certainly, Carl was most deserving of the Distinguished Service Award bestowed upon him by the Alumni Association in 1994 for his highest standards of personal character and continued concern for humanity. I knew Carl to also be very involved in his community. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be missed by many given the number of individuals he knew and helped throughout his life. Hopefully, you will be comforted by knowing that he left a great legacy which those who knew him will not forget. If we can be of assistance to you any way, I would invite you to contact the FHSU Alumni Assocation. – Debra Debra Prideaux, Executive Director Alumni and Governmental Relations Fort Hays State University 600 Park Street Hays, KS 67601-4099 785.628.4430 Fax 785.628.4191 1.888.351.3591
We were longtime neighbors of Carl and Millie on Old Manor. Carl was a wonderful person and took such an interest in our family and especially our children. We had been to see him over Christmas and had a great visit. Unfortunately, we will be out of town on Saturday and unable to attend Carl’s memorial service which we really regret. He wasvery special and we will miss him. John and Pat Morton 304 Lakewood Drive North Newton, KS 67117
Dear Janice and other relatives and friends of Carl Rohwer, I last visited with Carl by telephone about a year ago, and I last saw him at his condo a few years ago. Carl and my Dad, Richard Hindery, worked together with W.N. Bartlett for many years. I know that my Dad valued Carl’s work highly and thought of him as a dear friend. As a boy I looked forward to Carl’s visits and calls to our home. And I marveled at the warmth and good cheer which he shared with others, all the more appreciated because of his physical limits. It was a day of celebration at our home when Carl got his first car which he could manage entirely with his hands. Distanced from my family for many years, I appreciated Carl’s ongoing warmth and friendship. The last times my wife Sheila and I saw him and spoke with him, we saw not only a remarkable person who lived a full life helping others, but one who remained our warm and stalwart friend his whole life. With love to Carl, Millie, and to you and yours, Janice. Roderick (Dick Jr.) and Sheila Hindery 21604 N. 160th Drive Sun City West, AZ 95375-6648 e-mail: randshindery@yahoo.com
Janice, We have never met, however, I feel like I know you. Carl spoke of you so often and kept us informed of your visits and happenings in your life. My husband Bob Michellich is a cousin of Carls. They visited on the phone quite often and we stopped to see Carl At Larkspur several times. Bob had a great admiration of Carl. Bob had Multiple Myeloma for 5 yrs., but died of heart failure July 15, 2005. It was so uplifting for him to visit with Carl. They seemed to have so much in common.I Read a little verse the other day that I thought was really appropriate for Carl. ‘ Those we hold most Dear, never truly leave us. They live on in the Kindness they showed, The comfort they shared, And the love they brought into our lives.’ Please accept my sympathy and be assured you are in my thoughts and prayers.
I am sorry Dr. Wells and I were unable to get to the memorial service on Saturday. Carl was such a gracious man. When I visited him a few years ago, he went out of his way to make sure that I was welcomed and my accommodations were okay. We had a wonderful conversation about his wife, and how strongly she felt about the importance of the work we do in the medical technology profession. The gift he and his wife made to the University of Minnesota in the Mildred King Rohwer Endowed Chair in Medical Technology remains the only such Chair in the country, and will be a lasting legacy to both of them. I’m am truly honored to have had the chance to get to know. He really was the epitome of a gentleman.
Janice and Ken: Knowing Carl was a blessing. I met him at Larksfield in Dec. 1996. I was a Home Health Aide and cared for Carl for approximately 7 years. We continued our friendship and kept in touch. Carl was a loving and kind man. He had so many stories to tell, he taught me so much about life. It was indeed a blessing for our lives to have touched. He will be missed by all who knew him. I will miss him deeply.
Dear Janice and family, I met Carl when I was three ‘at the office’ which eventually became Birmingham, Bartlett, and Hindery. We lived not far from his sister Dorothy on Topeka St. and Carl was a man my entire family spoke of affectionately. Carl did my taxes before I married and made enough money to pay taxes and was old enough. I was thrilled when he and Millie got married. I remember their home and how happy they made each other and what a great friends they were to us all. My father, Richard Hindery, trusted Carl more than anyone he ever worked with and always counted on him. Carl never failed him, or anyone I expect. Carl and I exchanged Christmas notes this year as always. We promised to get together to discuss clear back to the time when the ‘office’ moved from St. Joe Mo. and Carl came on board. My memories of Carl are his humor (especially at himself), his loyalty and his affection. Carl never complained in my company and since I worked at the office(s) often I know he had much to teach to the unskilled and much work to do and a lot of last minute stuff that was rush, rush from Bill Bartlett who was a ‘spur of the moment’ man. He lived with his disability graciously. I regret that I am unable to be present in person at the Saturday memorial. My oldest son owns the Science Education Center and I am running it myself that day while he is out of town. I will definitely be there in thought. Life will seem strange when next Christmas doesn’t bring the daily calendar gift from Carl. I use that book every day and thought, and will continuet to think, of Carl each time I use it. My deepest condolences to you all.
Janice and Family, My deepest sympathy to you and your family. My dad, Bob Michellich, was Carl’s cousin. I met Carl when my parents were in Wichita for a visit. I could tell in just that one visit to Larksfield how much the people there loved and admired him. I know he will be greatly missed at Larksfield. My dad was not able to travel much in the past years, but he loved the telephone conversations he and Carl shared. We moved to Lawrence in June of 2005, and I regret that I was not able to visit Carl one more time before the move. I always looked forward to the Christmas card, letter, and the daily calendar. I thought of him often throughout the years, and I know that he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Becky Schneider 913 Deer Run Drive Lawrence, KS 66049