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Kenneth M. Rommel Jr.

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Gettysburg College

Kenneth Rommel Obituary

Kenneth M. Rommel, Jr. Passed away July 28, 2012 at the age of 87. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his daughter Adrienne Rommel Shurbet and husband Drew, his son Kenneth Rommel III and wife Heather and their daughters Zoe and Thea, his ex-wife and closest friend Lee Rommel, his sisters Constance Jones and Louise Cadzow and her husband Bill, and many nieces and nephews. Ken proudly served his country in World War II as part of the Army's 503rd Parachute Infantry which made the famed jump on Corregidor helping to recapture the island. Upon graduating from Gettysburg College in 1951, he joined the FBI as a Special Agent. His career took him to Chicago, New York, and Puerto Rico before moving his family to Santa Fe in 1972 as Special Agent in charge of the local FBI office. Ken retired from the FBI in 1979, he then was hired by the District Attorney's Office to direct the cattle mutilations investigation that culminated in his writing a decisive and controversial official report. In 1981, Ken joined the New Mexico Corrections Department and eventually served as warden of Los Lunas Correctional Center. Upon retirement from the State in 1992, he did private investigation work for the FBI, US Air Force, US Customs, and the CIA. He was a well-respected, patriotic and honorable man who laughed easily and always had a joke to share. Above all, he was a loyal and loving father and family man; a good man much loved by his family, friends and neighbors. Memorial service with military honors will be held at the Santa Fe National Cemetery on Monday, August 13th at 10:30 a.m. Reception to follow at Tiny's Restaurant. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to the animal charity of your choice.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Santa Fe New Mexican on Aug. 10, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for Kenneth Rommel

19 Entries

Pam Matson

June 20, 2024

Dear Lee and family,
I am so sorry that I was not aware of Ken's passing. What a career. My dad Sam Matson was lucky and honored to serve with Ken in NYC with the FBI. He passed on Father's Day of 2016. I passed through Santa Fe in 2008 on my way back home from CA to NH and had a short but memorable visit with Lee. I have been thinking of her. Many blessings to you and hope that your hearts continue to heal as they celebrate good times and good memories.
Pam Matson 603-923-2021

Suki McClendon

December 20, 2012

Aunt Rosalie, Adrienne and Kenny, I am so sorry to hear about Uncle Ken. I know it is a little late, but my heart is with all of you. I will always cherish my many memories of him. We had so much fun when we would visit Santa Fe and when I was very young seeing everyone at Camp. All my love,Suki

Shirley Taylor

August 16, 2012

Dear Lee and Family:
I was so sorry to hear about Ken's loss. Ken was a joy to know. The world is a darker place without him in it.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the memorial for Ken, as somehow I have gotten older too. Much love to all.

Linda Elvin (Fraser)

August 15, 2012

Adrienne and Family - I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to all of you. i know this is a difficult time, but may your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
All my love,

Polly Wilson

August 15, 2012

I send my sincere condolences to Ken's family. I worked as his secretary when he was Warden at NMCD. I learned so many things from him and will always remember him.

August 14, 2012

Adrienne and family,
I only knew Ken for a few short years but he made an impact on me the first time I met him. He's genuine, caring and a real man's man. I'm blessed to have known him. Vaya con dios, Don Egedy

Twila Wilkerson

August 13, 2012

Dear Rommel Family,
With deepest sympathy, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Ken was such great neighbor, I lived directly across from him in Park Plazas for a number of years. We had some great conversations on the trails and in the culdesac. He always put a smile on my face. What a wonderful guardian angel to have looking over you.
God Bless You.
Twila Wilkerson

Charles Padilla

August 12, 2012

Dear Rommel Family,
It seems like quite a while that I have known Ken. He gave me the same impression of all other FBI guys, smart, quick to smile, reserved, and respected.
I saw him in a grocery store a while ago, and he wrote on a pad for me, telling me that a stroke had affected his speech. He was still the same, smiling, respectful, kind.
Men and friends like Ken do not come along often...but when they do, they make a difference wherever they go.
I will hold Ken close to my heart. He was a kind, caring, smiling, and funny man. He was someone that I was very proud to know, and to call him my friend.
With deepest sympathy,
Charles Padilla

Jose Villegas

August 11, 2012

Back in the day, I met Defunto Kenneth M. Rommel Jr., when I joined the Penitentiary of NM in 1982 after serving in the US Marine Corps. He was a gentle giant but stearn and trustworthy at best. Rest in peace mi amigo. I will keep the candle light burning while he watches over his love-ones at night.
Blessings,
FBI Chaplain Jose L. Villegas, Sr.

Roxanne Sosa

August 11, 2012

I'm saddened to hear the lost of one of my best friends who treated me with so much respect. I was greatly honored to be a part of his life at the District Attorney's office, the Corrections department, and helping him with the cattle mutilation report. I was always greatly impressed by his wonderful demeanor, his jokes ever second of the day. Truly a man of stature and class. I would like to share this with you, one year for secretary's week, he brought me tulips from his garden and by the end of the week, the bouquet was enormous, just like his heart. With all do respect, I am greatly sorry for your loss.

A Thorndyke

August 11, 2012

Ken had a beautiful smile and I always enjoyed being in his presence.
With love;
A Thorndyke RN

August 11, 2012

My heart and sympathies go out to you, Lee, Adrienne and Kenny. I know that you loved and respected him immensely, as so many of us who knew him. I hope through the service that you feel embraced and supported by all those who are in attendance. Unfortunately, I can not attend; however, I will be there in heart and mind with you. There are so many memories of him from over the years that I will cherish. The ones that make me smile like him always making a point to reach out to me and talk over HP and its stock with me. The ones that make me cringe, like the 5:30am morning wake up calls for skiing with the flooding of the room with light with a flick of the light switch and the calling of "It is time to get up!". The ones that I have held as examples to follow in my own life, like his persistence whether to his own convictions or his fight to remain independent in spite of health challenges. He was wonderful man who influenced so many for the better! We have all been blessed to know him.

August 10, 2012

Dearest Lee, Adrienne and Kenny,
Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. The memories and love you shared will be with you always.
Love to you all,
Kristin Kalangis

Andrew Soltys, Jr.

August 10, 2012

My deepest sympathy to the Rommel family in the loss of Ken. I knew Ken while we were working as Special Agents of the FBI in the New York Office of the Bureau. We were on the Satellite Surveillance Squad. Ken was almost always teamed with another great agent, Larry Miller. Ken learned that i too was a Philly native but of a different religious persuation that the both were and thus I would always get that wonderful hazing. I would always address him as Herr Rommel and would ask him where the Panzer Corps were that he hid. We had a great relationship. He was a person of great integrity and it is almost comical that he was warden of a prison and i ended up as an Internal Affairs Director for the TN Prison system. He's in Heaven now and I pray that he (Requiescat in Pace- Rest in Peace"):.

Tom Moore

August 10, 2012

Ken was a really great guy. He will be missed.

cm p

August 10, 2012

I'll miss seeing you on your walks around the neighborhood and our chats about law enforcement, fire and EMS. Thank you for your service to our country and I appreciate your work with the FBI.

Farewell, Ken.

c-

Lou Ann Bower

August 10, 2012

Dear Lee, Adrienne, and Kenny,
I wish I could attend the memorial services....I know they will be moving and well deserved. They are always so
impressive. I am thinking of you all.
Ken was an impressive man and well loved by everyone including me.

My love and best wishes,

Lou Ann Bower

Roman GARCIA

August 10, 2012

Well "holy cow" you did it all and all so well and sometimes it is hell but I know you are in heaven now. Thanks for the work you did. RGARCIA, Former Special Agent

Joy Waldron

August 10, 2012

I'll always be grateful for Ken's friendship, his wise counsel and unflagging optimism. The world has lost a very good man. My best wishes to his family.

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