Robert C Rohrer
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Robert C Rohrer
Chinook, MT
April 27, 1940 - May 19, 2016
Bob was born at the Kelly Delbaums Ranch on Bean Creek, Bear Paw Mountains near Chinook Montana. His father had to ride a horse to fetch a Mid Wife to deliver him.
As a child he served as a alter boy in the local Catholic Church. He also had a newspaper route for the Chinook Opinion. The Winter of 1954 due to strep throat tonsillitis he acquired Rheumatic fever and as a result developed a murmur of the heart. He was sick for one year and almost died from this virus. This disease swells all your joints so you cannot walk. For years he had problems due to the virus.
In June of 1958 Bob graduated from High School. Never being away from home Bob left Chinook for Anchorage, Alaska with Les Benson and John McConnell. They drove the Alcan Highway which was gravel for 1800 miles. On the way they stayed at the Blueberry Lodge, Yukon Territory. Big experience. Arriving in Anchorage, Bob went to work for the Alaska Railroad. During his stay Alaska made statehood.
Bob volunteered for the draft and joined the US Army April of 1959. He left from the Chinook Depot at 3AM with Les Haugen, Don Gallus and Noel Debries. While in Butte Les went back home, the rest of them railroaded to San Francisco, CA where they entered boot camp. In July he was transferred to Fort Lewis, WA. While in the service he was a Heavy Duty Truck Driver. He attained the rank of Specialist 4th Class.
In 1959 Bob was discharged from the Army. He went to work for the Great Northern Railroad as a Gandy dancer – Laborer – Truck Driver. He also worked with Central Transfer Control putting in electric switches that could be controlled from Seattle, WA or Whitefish, Montana. Quite a feat in 1961. His Railroad partner was Les Haugen. They bunked together in a box car. In the summer of 1961, still working on the railroad Jim and Joe Contway of Malta would drop him off in Chinook. One Saturday night a carload of Bob and his friends went to the Lohman Bar. There he met Helen and her cousin Darlene Miller. Much later Bob started dating Helen on a regular basis.
Bob soon enrolled in college at Northern Montana in Havre. He played tackle on the varsity football team.
In November 1961, Bob was drafted back into the US Army, recalled as a reservist and reported to Fort Lewis, WA. This was during the Berlin and Cuban Crisis with President Kennedy.
Bob and Helen were married April 7, 1962 in a chapel at Fort Lewis, WA. Bob was discharged from the Army in September of 1962 and they made their home in Bremerton, WA. He went to for the Railway Express in Seattle WA as a Freight Handler and Expressman on the passenger trains. He worked from Seattle to Vancouver BC, Spokane and Whitefish Montana.
In 1963 and 1964 Bob Worked for the Union Pacific Railroad, Argo yards in Seattle. He was a Freight Cargo Inspector. In September of 1964, Bob was sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff of Kitsap County, Port Orchard WA. We was President of the Kitsap County Sheriffs Association for two years and one year as Secretary Treasurer. As a Deputy Sheriff he started a Pee Wee Team for the kids and was a coach. Deputy Sheriffs were on call 24 hours a day and the pay was low. In April 1968 Bob joined the Tacoma Police Department. One of his jobs was in Crime Prevention of which he made a booklet for the WA State Crime Prevention in cooperation with the attorney generals office.
In 1970, he received his Associates Degree in Law Enforcement at Tacoma Community College. In 1972 he was promoted to the rank of Detective. He also graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a BA degree in Sociology. In June of 1976 Bob was shot in the wrist and chest during a robbery attempt. He carried the bullet the rest of his life as it could not be removed as it was to close to heart and would explode.
Bob graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1977 with a masters degree in Human Relations. This was a long haul for him working full time and going to school year around for several years.
In 1981 he was promoted to the rank of Sargent. He retired from the Tacoma Police Department with 27 years of combined in 1991. While a Police officer he was selected to represent on many TV programs. Also was security for many movie stars and WWF Wrestlers when they were in town. Bob belonged to the Elks Club for many years and served on the investigative committee of applicants. He loved to snorkel in Hawaii and swim, but his main hobby was taking his boat out and going fishing runs in the family, his mother liked to fish and the two of them spent many a day on the water on Puget Sound along with his buddy Muffs Bob's Poodle.
Bob and Helen tried to return to Chinook every year as they considered it their home town. Bob so enjoyed going there to go hunting and fishing with the Blues Brothers Bill and Mick Thompson. He also looked forward to having a cribbage tournament at Don and Jill's Mint Bar.
In 2007 Bob and Helen moved to Arizona after being snowbirds for six years. Bob enjoyed the sun and swimming his laps in the pool everyday.
Bob passed away on May 19, 2016 after many months of battling brain cancer. Survivors include his wife Helen, a son Darwin Schnell(Angela) three Grand Sons Kyle, Tyler and Cameron Schnell. Also two special nieces Janet Clough and Rojean Paschal and nephews Mike McFaul and Roger Paschal. Two sisters and two brothers.
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