The Cotrrel family;

The Father of our dear friend Tom Cotrrel has passed away in Silver City, N.M. Tom's Mother passed away in December of 2006.
Tom is Dan and Brigid's best friend.When Tom was in high school in Loveland, Co. he used to come to the house on new year's after noon and leave early so he could welcome the new year in on Long's Peak.(over 10,000 ft.) In college he and a friend were dropped in somewhere in Alaska and spend the summer in the wilderness making his way south.
I was priviledged to attend his wedding to Renee in Estes Park.
Later, mid- February, 18 years ago he and Renee and 1 week old Molly were enroute to Phoenix for Dan and Brigid's wedding. They stopped in Chile, Az.(Canyon desha) on the Navajo Indian Reservation where I was teaching. I feared for Molly as she was passed around to my 8th grade students who admired her so. Many had colds but it didn't face Molly.
Tom now teaches at Washington State College in Ellensburgh as does Renee. They just returned from teaching in China for 6 months and also visited Tibet.
For the last few summers they have spend part of each summer on Brigid and Dan's boat sailing out of Seattle and up towards Canada.
When they visit Brigid and Dan in Phoenix I have been honored to be included.
The students who are fortunate to be in their classes are priviledged indeed. What joy and enthusiam they project.
Each day Tom's life honors his gracious parents.

A tribute to the Rockensock family

I referenced them in a December 6,2006 posting.

With as little coment as possible

In Loving Memory of

BRETT H. ROCKENSOCK

Born: April 23,1981 Died: December 13,2006
Bemidij, Mn Bemidij,Mn

Funeral Services
Evangelical Free Church-Blackduck, Mn.
10:30 A.M.-Monday, December 18,2006
Officiating
Pastor Dwight Warden
Special Music
Arlys Rockensock, Pianist
Tsodd&
Sara Rockensock,Vocalists
Dennis Page, vocalist
Congregational Songs
How Great Thou Art & Joy to the World

Active casketbearers

Jerry Rockensock Jim Rockensock
Wally Rockensock Phil Rockensock
Ronn Rockensock Asron Dryer

Internment
Lakeview Cemetary
Blackduck, Mn.

Forepage Verse.

God saw you were getting tired
And a cure was not to be;
So He put his arms around you
and whispered:Come with me."
With tearful eyes we watched you suffer
and saw you fade away...
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
Your golden heart stopped beating...
Hard working hands put to rest;
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

Obituary

Brett H. Rockensock,25, of Blackduck, min. died on Wednesdday, December 3,2006 at the
North County Regional Hospital in Bemidji, Mn,
Brett was born April 23, 1981 in Bemidji, Mn., the son of Daniel and Jewel(Helgeson)Rockensock. Brett was diagnosed with Xeroderma Pigmentosa at the age of two. He was raised in Blackduck, and attended schools in Bemidji, Cass Lake and Northome and in Blackduck.
He graduated from the Blackduck High School in May of 2003. He most recently attended
the DAC program in Nortome. Brett attended the Blackduck evangelical Free Church.
In the evenilngs Brett enjoyed being able to go outside and ride the 4-wheele, look for deer, or go for drives.. He liked to go to the woods to see where Dad was working. In July of 1998 Brett and his parents attended Camp Sundown in New York- A special camp for persons with XP,all the activities took place from 9P.M. to 5 AM..
Grateful for having shared his life are his parents Don and jewel Rockensock of Blackduck;his sister Teresa(Wayne) Hawkinson of Egan, Mn:his grandmother Darlene Rockensock of Blackduck; his grandparents Don and Vivian Helgeson of Hines; and numerous special aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Herb Rockensock in 1996.

This poem was written by Dennis Page, one of the vocalists at Brett's funeral.

Well Mom and Dad, the time has come
When I most go, back where I am from

But I so glad that God could see
That Dan and Jewel, was the home for me

No one on earth will never know
the joy and love that you two could show

But God had different plans for you and me
He wanted to teach us real humility

I grew up strong and then got weak
then medical attention we had to seek

I got metal braces on my feet
amd it wasn't long and I could not compete

Then my big strong DAD would carry me around
at first I felt just like a clown

But then I thought,"hey this is great"
I have someone to blame if I am late

So, then you bought this cool wheel chair
and if the church was open, we were there

I enjoyed those messages from Dwight
they brought me joy and pure delight

Oh yes, I love you sister, that's plain to see
for all the things you've done for me

or should I say, for all the things I made you do
but God was there to see us through

I never grew up and had a wife
but sis, you were the apple of my life

there are so many people I know who care
like grandpa Herb, who is waiting there

there is no way I could thank you for the things you do
but when we meet in heaven, there are rewards for you

Mom, I love more than this whole earth
cuz your the one who gave me birth

this doesn't happen every day
there's many babies thrown away

your all remember,we're not home yet
your son, your brother,your buddy Brett.