Robert Brockman
Age - 92
August 29, 2023
Robert Charles Brockman passed away at home on August 22, 2023, after a full, long life. Robert was born in Crown Point, Indiana, on April 19, 1931, to Carl Brockman and Marguerite, immigrants from Germany. The oldest child, he had three sisters - Betty Ann, Patty Jean and Caroline - and one brother, Richie. Bob spoke only German until first grade and had to learn to write right-handed. His family often picnicked with other German families who lived around the area. Carl worked for military transfer command, traveling between New York and Italy, and then in steel mills in Indiana, before moving his family to Boston to work as a machinist at a Navy yard. For a time, the family didn't have a car as they lived in the city and would pay a few cents to ride the Boston transit. When they moved to Hyde Park south of Boston, they lived in a small house identical to the other houses, and Bob often woke with frost on the nails sticking in his tiny room. Fun things to do included going to the 10-cent movies on Saturdays once the dishes were done, playing tin can on the rock, and waiting for the boats to bring in fresh fish. Bob played baseball and football, was known for "his pleasant manner" and carried the American flag in a parade. He made the honor role at Hyde Park High and worked for a time at Finest grocery stores. When given a choice between the army or Air Force, Bob chose the Air Force because it was "going to be a little better than sleeping in the mud. " He joined the Air Force on July 31, 1950. After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Bob was set to attend navigation school but instead sent to Florida's Air Force combat training base. He was stationed in England from Sept 1950 to Oct. 1952, guarding planes, patrolling the town and wondering why the British doused fish and chips with vinegar and draft beer was served warm. One foggy night, he accidentally shot the eagle's head off the cap of a warrant officer but lived to tell the tale to his grandchildren. Bob transferred to Elsworth Air Force Base outside of Rapid City. He also got to visit the Azores - "the wettest country on earth - either always rainy or foggy or misty or something" - as well as St. Johns and Newfoundland. While riding one day with another airman on the base, Bob saw two guys in civilian clothes near the B-36 repair hangar. He told them to stop and hit the ground, not knowing it was the base commander and General Elsworth himself. The officer of the day saw and threatened to throw Bob in prison, until the general said, "Lieutenant, he's right what we did. We shouldn't be out here in our civilian clothes. " While stationed at Elsworth, Bob experienced what he would later call the most exciting event of his life - meeting his wife. His fate was sealed when some friends took him out for a trip into the city the same weekend Gloria Peterson was living it up with friends from Sioux Falls. Bob was smitten at first sight and said although there were plenty of female personnel on base, Gloria had "something special. " After many visits out to Sioux Falls, concerts in the park, movie dates, and an exchange of letters, Bob married Gloria Peterson on July 18, 1954. The couple lived for a time in the city where Bob worked at Dempster Mills Manufacturing and Gloria was a receptionist for a surgical supply house, before moving to Brookings so he could go to school. But thinking he was too old for school at the ancient age of 27, Bob moved them back to Gloria's hometown of Wessington Springs after a brief time in Wyoming. There, Bob became a jack of all trades, working as a deputy sheriff, manager of a co-op, and the first ambulance driver in the town. He also worked as a substitute teacher and was very active on his church council. When asked about the strangest thing he saw as sheriff, he said "Well, I looked in the mirror. " The old, white two-story farmhouse on the corner of College Ave in Wessington Springs was Bob's favorite place he lived - a house carefully remodeled to make it a home and the primary place he and Gloria raised their three children, Teri (born in 1956), Lori (1958) and Dan (1962). Bob was a dedicated father and husband, always taking time out of his busy schedule for his family. "His family was the highlight of his life," Dan said. "He always had words of wisdom that I could not seem to find elsewhere. " Bob thought Gloria had it a lot harder than him, having to constantly feed the kids and keep the house in order while he napped on his work breaks. When asked how he and Gloria survived 69 years of marriage, Bob simply shrugged. He was usually a quieter man, often letting Gloria do most the talking and interjecting with the kind of one-liners worthy of recording for posterity. Suave even into his old age, he was well-liked and popular in town (especially with ladies). Bob loved his snacks, his ultimate favorite being Cheezit crackers, along with other health foods like potato chips and Werthers candies. He made delicious special scrambled eggs with Worchester sauce and Chex Mix for his grandchildren every Christmas. He recently discovered the power of ham and cheese roll-ups to take the edge off. He loved games like checkers and anything that makes you think. His team was, naturally, the New England Patriots. An avid reader, he was never without stacks of books and when he could no longer read, switched to audio books. Sometimes the content in his thriller stories was a bit too descriptive for Gloria! Even if Bob would tire of hearing the same old stories from Gloria about Cuban men and the two would poke at each other back and forth, they had a very special relationship. They indeed went through the good and bad together, losing their two beloved daughters to sickness, but also making every recital, graduation and special event they could for their grandchildren. Bob had the perspective that every day was a new day, every Sunday morning a new week and new adventure. Even as his body became weaker, his spirit and faith didn't as he knew his life was coming full circle and he would be reunited with Gloria after she passed three weeks before him. "Everything falls into place when you're happy and smile and laugh. You got the world by the tail," was one of his last pieces of advice. Bob is preceded in death by his wife Gloria Brockman; daughters Lori and Teri Brockman; his parents Carl and Marguerite Brockman; and sister Patty Jean. He is survived by his son Daniel Brockman (wife Rosemary) and children Courtney, Nicole, Matthew and Kaitlyn Brockman; grandson Cohen Burgess; and siblings Betty Ann, Caroline and Richard. Funeral services will be held at Our Saviors Lutheran Church Friday September 1, at 2:00pm. Visitation will be 5-7 at the church August 31 with prayer service at 6:30. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of , please .Show more
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