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John Nicholaus Rockman

January 13, 2018

John Nicholaus Rockman, 90 ½, of Waymart died Saturday evening at Wayne Woodlands Manor, Waymart following an illness. His wife of 61 years is the former Mary Bernice Barton Rockman.

Born May 8, 1927 in Barron, WI, son of the late Martin and Stella Hoover Rockman, he was a graduate of Barron County High School, Barron WI. He attended River Falls College/University, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI and received a bachelor of science degree from Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH. While at Antioch he participated in the following co-op jobs: Scribbs Oceanography Institute in San Diego, CA and Galveston, TX, Jackson Laboratories in Bar Harbor, Maine, Engleman Beattle Project in Colorado, Ciba Pharmaceutical in Summit, NJ, and the Museum of Natural History in Chicago, IL. He received his Master’s Degree from the Peabody School at Vanderbilt University and took other post graduate classes towards his doctorate at Rutger’s University. He took classes offered by the National Sciences Foundation in atomic biology, dessert biology, and oceanography.

He was an active member of the debate club and drama club during his college years. He volunteered for the Girl Scouts and the Boys Scouts of America, especially the Klondike Derby regardless of the weather at the build a fire station. He also volunteered with the Lake Ariel Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary. He did many years with the adult Literacy Program, including the state prison. He helped with projects at Lacawac Sanctuary and the Audubon Society. He was also active in the United Methodist Churches where he lived. He did Sunday school teaching, singing in the choir, and was a member of the board.

He was green before being green was cool! He served on the Roamingwood Water and Sewer Board in the Hideout for 13 years and volunteered there for many events.

John turned 18 on V.E. Day. He was drafted into the Army and served in the Army Air Corps. at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi working with guided missiles.

John loved to travel. He travelled extensively in the United States, all 50 states and 19 countries. He spent enough time in some states to receive mail.

He taught at Lindsay Wilson College in Columbia, KY for 3 years prior to moving to Wayne, NJ. He worked at William Paterson University for 37 years in the science department.

He was preceded in death by an infant brother Niles Rockman; sister Mae Hendricks and her husband Vernon of Cairo, MI; brother Bernard and his wife June Anderson; brothers-in-law Bill Sauder and Alvin Weidner.

Also surviving are his four children Mary M. of Wayne, NJ, Fred A. of Lake Ariel, Adelia Beth Rockman Soulje of East Ridge, TN, and Nick A. of Wayne, NJ; four grandchildren Nicolaas Soulje of East Ridge, TN, Nathanael Soulje and his wife Emma of Warren, MI, Adelia E. Soulje of Chattanooga, TN and Alicia N. Soulje of Cooksville, TN; sisters Martha Sauder of Peoria, IL and Mary Weidner of Park Rapids, Minnesota; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Indian Education Fund P.O. Box 97286 Washington, D.C. 20090-7286 or the donor’s favorite charity.

A memorial service will be held this spring.

Burial will be in Heiberger, AL in the future.

Cremation took place in the Lake Region Crematory, Lake Ariel.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the James Wilson Funeral Home, Lake Ariel.

To send the family an online condolence visit www.jameswilsonfuneralhome.com.