Page created by: Matt Rothgeb

Colonel Harold L. "Bud" Rothgeb, Jr., 76, Lindsborg, KS. went to heaven on Sept. 22, 2018, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was born in Seattle, WA, Dec. 31, 1941.

Bud was an eternal optimist whose favorite saying was, "It'll be all right." He loved his Lord, his family, his country, his time in the US Air Force, and his fellow man. Bud loved the outdoors, he was an Eagle Scout and enjoyed hiking, fishing, canoeing, and camping in the mountains. He loved to learn, loved to write, and loved to teach.

Bud graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in History. He later received a MA degree in Communications from the University of Northern Colorado. He is also a graduate of the Defense Information School, Air Force Squadron Officer's School, Air Force Command and Staff School and the Air War College.

Bud served in the Air Force for over 25 years as a Public Affairs Officer. His duty assignments included serving as Political Warfare Advisor to the Vietnamese Air Force Logistics Command at Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, English Instructor at the Air Force Preparatory School in Colorado Springs. He then served as Chief of Public Inquiries, Chief of Speakers' Branch and Special Assistant to Air Force Vice-Chief of Staff at the Pentagon. After his Pentagon tour he was assigned to Vandenberg AFB, California to be the senior base public affairs officer and oversaw all base public affairs activities, including all media relations activities for what was to be the first manned space launch from the west coast. The planned launch was canceled after the tragic loss of Challenger at the Kennedy Space Center. His last duty assignment was at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio where he served as the Director of Public Affairs for Air Force Logistics Command. The Air Force soon integrated Logistics Command (logistics and maintenance) with Air Force Systems Command (research and development) created the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). Bud was selected as the first Director of Public Affairs of AFMC.

After working on the creation and development of AFMC, and after serving a total of nearly 26 years in the Air Force, Colonel Rothgeb retired from the Air Force in 1993 and began a second career.

He was selected as Director of Communications and College Relations of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas in 1993. His responsibilities at Bethany included coordinating and directing public relations activities for Bethany College, writing the Bethany Magazine and news releases, and responding to media queries. He was the advisor to the Bethany Messenger Newspaper and student publication photographers. He taught the Bethany Seminar for freshmen, and he was a Faculty Sponsor for Experienced Based Education students. He served in that position until he retired in June of 2004.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold L. Rothgeb, Sr. and Flora (Loud) Rothgeb. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; three children, Jeff Johnson, Whiting, IA, Lissa (Paul) Loiselle, Seattle, WA, and Matthew (Kerry) Rothgeb of Springfield, OH; brother, David Rothgeb, Mt. Vernon, WA and sisters, Mary Fitzgerald, Mt. Vernon, WA and Laura Rothgeb, Louisville, KY; grandchildren; Madison Johnson, Shepard and Dietrich Rothgeb.

Bud left an indelible mark of love on his family and friends, and many along his path in life.

Memorial services will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, KS at 2:00 pm Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. Internment will be in Arlington National Cemetery.