Alf Harald Rokstad

Alf Harald Rokstad, age 68, passed away in Nashville, TN on January 31, 2024. Alf was born on March 29, 1955 in Tromso, Norway to Kare and Agnes Rokstad, and was raised with his beloved younger sister, Bente. As a child, Alf was fascinated with airplanes and aviation. He loved playing soccer, and later became an avid skier and skydiver. When he was a very small child, he held his mothers hand and pointed to an airplane in the sky. Alf knew from that day forward he wanted to be a pilot!

After graduating high school, Alf worked 2 years as a Derrickman/Roustabout on an offshore drilling rig in the North Sea. He had an adventurous spirit, possessed an impeccable work ethic, and had very big dreams. In 1978, he moved to the United States to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a pilot. He attended the International Flight School, a Norwegian-run flight school in Murfreesboro, TN, and earned his Commercial/Instrument/Instructor licenses. A short time later, he married Elizabeth “Beth” Slusher, whom he met when he was a student pilot at the International Flight Center. Alf & Beth had three children together between 1981-1987: Marisa, Erik and Ashlee.  

In the mid-80s, his aviation career finally started to “take off”, and Captain Alf flew for Key Airlines until 1988. From there, he “landed” a new job at Airborne Express (ABX), and he went on to enjoy a 25-year career until he retired from ABX in 2012.  

Hard work has always been at the heart of his DNA, and retirement certainly did not slow him down. He was a jack of all trades, loved working with his hands, and had an incredible talent for woodworking. He enjoyed working on his home—inside and out—and was constantly on the search for a new project. He could build anything, and he was an expert craftsman.  He enjoyed being outside in the sun, whether he was raking leaves, laying stones on the patio, or sanding his deck. Many have described Alf as a perfectionist. He  took pride in a job well done, and he always paid attention to the details. 

One of Alf’s greatest sources of pride was his children. He was proud of every little milestone they reached, and his greatest joy was seeing them achieve something they had worked hard for. He was so proud of his children. Another source of joy for him in the last 2 years of his life was time spent with his dog, Chelsea. She was the light of his life and clearly, could do no wrong!

Alf is survived by his children, Marisa, Erik and Ashlee Rokstad, grandchildren, Hailey, Julian and Ryder, beloved sister Bente, niece Anita, nephew Ronnie, great niece, Nathalie and great nephews, Noah and Lucas.

~Blue Skies and Tailwinds, Captain Alf—you will be missed!