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Obituary: James Frederick Rohn

March 18, 1935 – Aug. 28, 2019 

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James Frederick Rohn, 84, of Fish Creek died at his home following a lengthy battle with cancer.     

He was born in Milwaukee, the son of Walter and Adeline (Weber) Rohn. Following his graduation from Whitefish Bay High School in 1953, Jim attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Art Institute of Chicago. He served his country in the Army National Guard. Jim worked in the family business, the George F. Rohn Electric Company, and later presided over the company as president of Rohn Metal Fabricating until it was sold in 1998.

On December 17, 1955, he married Sharon Arlene Chaplin at First Methodist Church in Champaign, Illinois.

Jim loved sailing; fishing, especially on Big Cedar Lake; and going to Packers games with family as a season ticket holder. He loved traveling and hiking and being in the outdoors. In retirement, Jim rekindled his love of painting.

He will be missed by his wife, Sharon; four children, Thomas (Anne) Rohn of Denver, Colorado, David (Amy) Rohn of Madison, Nancy (Michael) Byrne of Boise, Idaho, and Michael (Julie) Rohn of Minneapolis, Minneapolis; nine grandchildren, Lauren (Austin) Riendeau [and their children, Hayden and Madeline] and Nicholas Rohn, Jacob Piper and Kyle Rohn, Christopher (Jennifer) Byrne [and their children, Annabelle and Noah], Sarah (Phil) Byrne, and Emily Byrne, and Michael (Kate) Rohn and Christina Rohn.

A service of remembrance will be held for Jim at 1:30 pm on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Zion United Methodist Church, 8781 County Road F, Fish Creek, with Rev. Don Heeringa officiating. Burial will follow in Blossomberg Cemetery in Peninsula State Park.

Visitation for family and friends will be held at the church on Sept. 7, 1-1:30 pm.

Memorials may be given in Jim’s honor to Kathy’s House, 600 N. 103rd St., Wauwatosa, WI 53226.

Casperson Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Sister Bay is assisting the Rohn family. Expressions of sympathy, memories and photos of James can be shared through his tribute page at caspersonfuneralhome.com.


Donations may be made to:

Kathy’s House, Inc.
600 N. 103rd Street, Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Tel: 414-453-8290
Web: kathys-house.org

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