Rolfe B. Jenkins

March 30th, 1945 - September 8th, 2022

Rolfe's Memory Wall

We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Rolfe here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. Share your favorite stories or comment on those shared by others.

I worked in the clerical arena at Palisades for a number of years and during my many departmental rotations found myself frequently assisting Rolfe with a variety of clerical duties. He was verbose when he dictated reports, which drove me nuts, and he never actually acknowledged me as a person, so when I left I didn’t include him among those I missed. I did know him to be a brilliant person and a very respected engineer at Palisades. However in later years I became aware of his personal involvement with an acquaintance of mine and the remarkable sweetness and genuineness of that relationship. I began to think about RBJ and how we really don’t know people we work with. We make judgments that are not based in reality. Rolfe and I felt that way about each other. How absolutely wonderful it was for me to realize how full his life was, how much he gave to her and vice versa, and how sweet love is. Once I started thinking about him I realized of course he was more than I thought. Isn’t that true of most people? Rolfe has impacted my life by teaching me by example that all people are deserving of love and capable of giving great love. So I remember RBJ with great respect, thankful that he found a person to love who recognized how special and unique he was.

Debbie Malins

September 9th, 2023 at 1:43pm

I am saddened to learn of the passing of my classmate, Rolfe having just learned about this tonight. Rolfe was a member of our 50 St. Philip classmates and attended several of our reunions. Next year we celebrate our 60th. I enjoyed reading all the previous memories as they brought back the Rolfe I knew both in school and years after. I will share his obituary with my class and our sympathy and prayers go out to his sisters and brothers and families.
May he Rest In Peace! ✝️?✝️.
Kathy Swonk, Class of 1963

Kathleen Swonk

October 6th, 2022 at 10:13pm

Last I saw my friend was in W Lafayette at the Wisconsin football game. I flew into Chicago from FL to attend. Wisconsin won in triple overtime when the only guy left standing was Jonathan Taylor. Boy, it was cold and, yes, he power-walked me into the ground across the Purdue campus. He sure could hoof it. My company and I worked for him (Consumers Power) since 1979, both at Big Rock and Palisades. He visited me a couple of times in New England and stayed at our lake house in Maine a couple of times. He was my dear friend, not simply a client. We attended plays (Evita in Boston) and sports games (ND women's basketball as well as Wis-Pur football) with him regularly; not because we had to but because he was our friend. He knew everyone's birthday (including the US presidents). You know he was the smartest guy in the room. His trips often included a stop, or two or three, at nearby historical sites (Capitols, libraries, presidential birthplaces, battlefields, and the like). This guy was quirky and interesting at the same time. Boy, I loved him and I miss him. He was a good soul so now he's with The Lord. I pray for him and hope he does the same for me.

Walter Djordjevic

October 3rd, 2022 at 2:09pm

Barbara , Rolfe did love his beer and sports too. One Tksgvg he came to a big family dinner already fortified with a few drinks and carved the turkey then had a few more drinks at dinner. Mom became concerned when he became loud during a family discussion of some sort and asked bro Mike to follow him home to his place. But Rolfe had already parked his little truck just where it belonged by his apt. He once rode his bike all the way to Denny's house in Lansing where Denny found him sound asleep in bro Den's front yard next day on his way to work. We kids laughed about that for years. Not in front of Rolfe, of course

Marcia Marston

October 2nd, 2022 at 4:09am

Dear William And Barbara. Thank you for your personal memories of Rolfe as we all knew him in different areas . I can well believe Rolfe having you hide that game jersey. He he did love his sports . And his beer. One Tksgvg bebad had a few drinks to fortify himself for a big family dinner at the Sweet Sue Yetzke's home in St Joe. During dinner and the dinner preps. He had a few more. My mom, being used to this with her Marine hubby exams concerned when he began to raise his during some dinner discussion and had bro Mike follow him home after dinner. Rolfie's little truck was parked neatly between the lines allowed at his apt. No problem, but we felt a bit sorry for Sue since she had not seen this side of him.

Marcia marston

October 2nd, 2022 at 3:25am

Hi, William and Barbara, thanks for your personal memories about my brother Rolfie. I can easily believe the two jersey stories for two different teams. He loved his sports as well as theater He also liked his beer. One Tksgvg, he had had a few drinks before he arrived at the family dinner in St Joe with the sweet Sue Yetzke. We figured he needed the fortification for the large family dinner. When he added a few more drinks at dinner Mom..having seen this with her Marine hubby in years past, became concerned cuz he began to raise his voice over some dinner discussion. So she sent bro .Mike to follow him home where his little truck was parked carefully between the spaces allowed him near his apt. And, Barbara, when Rolfe called me, he always said HI, ITS ME. And I always said HI, ME. He never said ME, ROLFE. I always chuckled . .He also had framed on his mantle a poem dad wrote during WWII when he received word that Rolfie had been born. My Grandpa Jenkins wrote over two hundred poems about each of his family members so the talent came naturally plus dad was a newspaper editor for years. I was always touched at this sentimental side of Rolfe to have framed that letter from the Pacific.1945..Last nite I felt my comforter being tucked up under me on all sides and I like to think that since I wanted to attend the 21 gun salute as I did with Mon and dad, and my Mike could not get away, that was just Rolfie saying GOODBYE. Bro Denny had said not to worry since Rolfe knew I cared. And so I believe, he did for sure. Thanks again for sharing. We all knew diff. facets of Rolfie. It s good to hear ad many as possible.

Marcia

October 2nd, 2022 at 3:12am

I always enjoyed being with Rolfe as his conversation was always interesting and informed. We often went to Purdue football games and I am Michigan fan so we had a deal that I would not wear another team shirt to the game so I would wear my Michigan shirt under my black shirt so nobody could see it. I also remember the little store he would stop at on the way home to get a beer or two and he would always finish before we would stop for dinner. Rolfe had a tremendous memory of events and people during his life and his stories were always interesting and informative. He was a real asset to TCP and any other organization he belonged to. I miss him and think of him often. We have lost a wonderful person and he will be missed by many but I feel very lucky to have known Rolfe and considered him a friend.

William Klein

September 26th, 2022 at 2:40pm

I’ll miss our phone chats. When I answered, Rolfe would always say, “Young Lady, this is Brother Jenkins.” This greeting always made my day in as much as I am not much younger than he. We would discuss topics ranging from taxes to theater. I always marveled at his memory of dates and places. He loved traveling by car to presidential homes and sites and sharing these journeys. His knowledge of theater is unsurpassed. You are missed, dear friend.

Barbara Klein

September 26th, 2022 at 2:19pm

Rolfe finally met my daughter in law Heidi when he invited Mike, my son, and Heidi and me to one of his favorite sports..the Notre Dame Girls' Basketball Game. We usually clued Heidi in on any relative before she met him or her but this time, we decided to let Rolfe's personality shine . We all had a great time, especially me cuz I had never seen them play live before .This was when Muffett McGraw was still leading her girls to victory....Since Rolfe had been at West Point for a few years (and lost 30#s in the first 30 days, which he was encouraged to gain back..well, some of it ) , he was asked to escort Sammy Davis Jr on a?tour of the campus. Sometime later, he asked a lady pal to see if Sammy remembered his old guide and she laughed ,but was surprised to find that Sammy did, indeed recall Rolfe. Those of you who know Rolfe well would suspect that the bldgs and people who lived and worked there and Rolfe's photographic memory made for a colorful set of stories..not just the facts "ma'am". I can just hear Sammy's laugh as Rolfe related his stories and add -ons. Unforgettable, no doubt.... Rolfe liked to refer to Father Jenkins of Notre Dame as his Father since they spent time going over the structure and safety of the Notre Dame bldgs and I feel sure many other additional topics. ( Rolfe was an engineer as well as an interesting conversation list) "My Father", this or that he would say to our amusement....Once, or maybe more often, Rolfe would hand my middle brother Mike a football and ask him to try to get across the living room of our Hunter St From in Battle Creek before Rolfe could tackle him. So Mike would gamely take that ball and run, but he was about 6 years younger and weighed about 125 or 13O AndRolfe was a strapping 220 and ready for real football so Mike never made it very far before Rolfe brought him down. But it sure was fun watching him try! ... Brother Dennis said he used to try to walk with Rolfe on some of his walks around Rolfe's neighborhood but he found he simply could not keep up with him and DENNY WAS YEARS YOUNGER . THIS WAS NOT SO AWFULLY LONG AGO IN TERMS OF YEARS . THATRolfe knew how to power walk !

Marcia Marston

September 15th, 2022 at 4:15am

I worked with Rolfe at Palisades. Just before I retired in 2005, I asked Rolfe for advice regarding which retirement option I should take. My wife and I met Rolfe at the Friendly Tavern in Coloma. Rolfe went over the paperwork from Consumers and pointed his thumb at my wife and said, "Keep her working, take the annuity, and you'll be fine." It was noisy in the restaurant and my wife didn't hear exactly what Rolfe said and asked me what he said. I just told her it was okay. Rolfe must have used his thumb two or three more times while continuing to say, "Just keep her working." My wife never did hear clearly what Rolfe said but that was okay and so were we.
I'll miss Rolfe and being able to talk to him at intermissions, while attending performances at the Mendel Center.
From one veteran to another, rest in peace.

Wayne Binnington

September 12th, 2022 at 2:34pm

When Rolfe broke his ankle playing baseball in hi school, he got a video/audio device before VcrS had come into being. He could then see into the entire classroom and listen to the lessons as well as ask questions. All the kids?n the Battle Creek School system had to write a letter to Rolfe, adding anything acceptable to it, ex. Well wishes or what a great player he was or just get well soon. After he returned to school, the teacher one year asked him to do soing he didn't like and he stood up and shouted "I'd rather sell my birthright. The when class laughed except for the teacher but that did not prevent his being chosen class presidentv or being crowned Homecoming king. Perhaps it helped.?

Marcia marston

September 12th, 2022 at 8:17am

Rfeearned to play the piano, a feat several of us wish we had accomplished. He would play Christmas music while we kids sang. Sometimes, we would sneak into the parents'roinand try to peek at what they had bought us for Christmas. Once, weeft the king light cord between pkcgs and the folks blamed Rolfe. We heard them yelling at him, were sorry he got the blame being innocent of the crime, but we never confessed

Marcia marston

September 12th, 2022 at 8:07am

Whenever my brother Rolfe needed his pants ironed he would ask my sister Suzie "Would you iron these slacks for me, Boozie?" He liked word play. He and his friend Robert Larson liked to call each other by their names in reverse . Bob was Trevor Nostril and Rolfe Eflor Sniknej and I was A. I. Cram. In hi school, Rolfe became an entrepreneur, selling steaks from mom and dad's stash in the basement freezer along with green beans and a baked potato and selling them to his happy classmates for a dinner of modest sum, pocketing the money for his efforts. He sd the baseball cards dad bought him for a price much lower than they would have gone for in today's market