New Ulm

Kenneth Rockvam passed away peacefully December 28, 2019 at the Sleepy Eye Care Center at the age of 82.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 4, 2019 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in New Ulm. Monsignor Douglas Grams will celebrate the Mass. Burial will follow in the Catholic Cemetery in New Ulm.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2019 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – NORTH CHAPEL in New Ulm. Visitation will continue from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the North Chapel.

Kenneth Howard Rockvam was born June 28, 1937 to Viola and Kenneth Rockvam. He was always willing to tell everyone he was born at 107 N. Broadway and was taken across the alley to the butcher shop to be weighed on the meat scale. This provided him the nickname Butch.

Butch graduated from New Ulm High School in 1955 and from Gustavus in 1959. He married Patricia Glasmann at Holy Trinity in 1960. They were blessed with two sons, Troy and Brad.

Butch taught school for 15 years. First in Hartley, Iowa, then Winthrop and ended at Mankato West and East. In 1974, He began a new career with Midwest Commodities and then went to work for AMPI, retiring in 2002.

During his lifetime, he was involved in Izaak Walton League as president, then state president of the Izaak Walton League. When he was state president, he was part of the implementation of Minnesota's first Earth Day. He was appointed to the Environmental Quality Council by Gov. Wendell Anderson.

For 9 years he served on the New Ulm School Board and was elected to New Ulm's City Council and served on that for 9 years. He also served on the board at Turner Hall and the New Ulm Country Club.

Throughout his lifetime, he enjoyed playing golf, hunting, fishing, wood carving, and playing cards with the gang in Cambria.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Patricia; two sons, Troy (Tammy), Brad (Kim); grandsons, Nick, Alex, Sam, Aidan; granddaughters, Hope and Madison; great grandson, Oliver; sister, Karen Rolloff; sister-in-law, Judith Glasmann; four nieces, three nephews, and many cousins.

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Viola Rockvam; parents-in-law, Melville and Pearl Glasmann; sister, Anita Moline; brothers-in-law, Jack Moline, Ronald Rolloff, and Patrick Glasmann.

In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the donor's choice.