Ernest Elroy Rohlack Jr, 89, was born Jan. 5, 1934, and was called to Heaven Thursday, March 16, 2023 surrounded by his family.
Ernest was born to Ernest and Mary (Simank) Rohlack, at home, near Wuthrich Hill east of Taylor. He was baptized and confirmed at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church at Wuthrich Hill. While he saw many of his brothers enlist for service during and after WWII, he was denied entry due to a heart murmur caused by rheumatic fever as a small child.
Due to his important role in running the family farm with his dad and brothers, he dropped out of high school his senior year. He never forgot how important education was, and received his high school equivalent diploma in the spring of 1979, in no small part to reinforce the importance of education for his kids.
Ernest really liked that girl that lived across the field from his house and married her in 1955, at the same church that he and LaVerne were both baptized and confirmed. Ernest and LaVerne raised three children with an abundance of love on their farm, just outside of Coupland, where they farmed and raised cattle for nearly 70 years.
Ernest served on the church council at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Elgin where the family were long time members. He served on the Coupland School Board while his children attended school there. He also served as Coupland Community Club president and was a member for many years.
He and his wife were also longtime leaders in 4-H. Every summer for many years he drove a bus full of kids to 4-H camp and helped his kids raise animals for livestock shows.
Ernest’s pride and joy were his grandchildren.
He enjoyed watching them grow and teaching them important things like how to put sugar on Rice Krispies, taking them to feed cows, gathering eggs from the chickens, gardening and how to take crawfish off your pole without getting pinched.
He was a simple and unassuming man with a huge heart as well as was a good and faithful servant.
He is preceded in death by his oldest son, Ernie Rohlack in 2012; his brothers, Johnny, Monroe, Charlie, Alvin and Edvin; as well as sisters Helena Harrington, Carolyn Bergstrasser and Ruth Murray.
Ernest is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, LaVerne (Kuhl) Rohlack of Coupland; daughter, Jana (Ernie) Hinojosa of Flower Mound; and son, Thomas (Christine) Rohlack of Taylor.
His grandchildren include Stephanie Rohlack (Andrew) Morris of Taylor, Sarah Rohlack of Houston, Victoria Hinojosa of Dallas, Nicholas Hinojosa of Charlotte, North Carolina, Danielle Hinojosa of Allen, Jackson and Christian Rohlack of Taylor; and one great-grandchild, Amelia Cotterill of Taylor.
He is also survived by one sister, Selma Lange, of Thrall; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Not to be forgotten, he is also survived by BJ, his faithful canine companion, who he spoiled with rides in the truck, peanuts and not so covert treats off the table at mealtime.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church, Taylor.
