Peter C. Rohloff

1941 - 2019

(News story) Peter C. Rohloff, a co-valedictorian of Oak Harbor High School's Class of 1959 who had a long career with Ingersoll-Rand and other companies after being a farmer for many years, died of Parkinson's disease on Thursday at The Manor at Perrysburg. He was 77.

A native of Graytown, Ohio, he and his wife, Carolyn, whom he met through a church youth group when they were in high school, ultimately returned to live on their family farm after being away for 27 years in Missouri, Kansas, and Michigan.

Born Aug. 26, 1941, Mr. Rohloff was a highly intelligent, yet humble man whom his wife also described as a workaholic.

"He was a very smart guy," Mrs. Rohloff said. "He was a very humble guy. He was very kind and compassionate. He would do anything for anybody. He was a workaholic. He wasn't happy unless he was working. He didn't really have any hobbies because he was always working."

The couple was married Sept. 22, 1962.

For the first part of his adult life, Mr. Rohloff was deeply passionate about farming.

He was a brilliant student during the two years he spent at Ohio State University, getting straight A's. But he frustrated his mother, Alice Rohloff, a schoolteacher, because he was too stubborn to get his degree. He went to OSU simply to learn more about farming and stopped going when he thought he had accumulated enough information, his wife said.

"He was a very strong-willed person," she added.

For a while, Mr. Rohloff worked with his father and uncle at Rohloff Bros. Inc. in Trowbridge, Ohio, at a plant that specialized in dehydrating alfalfa. He also farmed then. He had a hog operation until he and his wife moved to southwest Missouri in 1977, where he continued to farm for the next 10 years.

But weather extremes hurt finances, starting with Missouri's drought of 1980. Bouts with flooding in subsequent years convinced him to give up farming.

"We just couldn't make it anymore with all of the natural disasters," his wife said.

So, Mr. Rohloff moved to Baxter Springs, Kan., to work in research and development for Ingersoll-Rand. There, he worked with high-pressure water jet cutting systems. He also got his associate degree in applied science and technology, and was awarded two U.S. patents for water jet nozzle design.

When Ingersoll-Rand moved that laboratory to Farmington Hills, Mich., Mr. Rohloff went with it. He later worked as a service technician at NLB in Wixom, Mich., after that lab was sold. His focus there was on hydraulic pumps. Mr. Rohloff's last full-time job was at Jack Doheny Supplies in Northville, Mich., where he worked as a service technician for sewer cleaning equipment.

The couple moved back to Graytown in 2004, where Mr. Rohloff was semi-retired until his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2017.

He enjoyed poring over technical manuals and books in his spare time, an avid reader of technology. He was fascinated by alternative energy, putting up numerous solar panels at the couple's house.

But Mr. Rohloff's greatest passion was with religion. He belonged to Nashville Christian Church while in Missouri and was baptized on Sept. 3, 1978. His wife said he taught Sunday School at various times and was especially fond of his "worn-out Bible."

He and his wife were married for 56 years.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Rohloff; son, Richard Rohloff; daughter Suzan O'Brien; six grandchildren, and his sister, Janet Thomas.

Services are at 11 a.m. Friday at Intersection Church, formerly Heritage Christian Church, 1640 S. Coy Rd., Oregon. Arrangements are being handled by Crosser Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Oak Harbor Chapel.

The family suggests any contributions be made to Intersection Church, Cherry Street Mission Ministries, or the Allen Township Fire Department.

This is a news story by Tom Henry. Contact him at thenry@theblade.com or 419-724-6079.