Clifton Granville “Rocky” Rockwell passed away Wednesday, October 2, 2019 peacefully at home after a long battle with heart disease.

Rocky was born at home in West Bridgewater, MA on September 20th, 1926.
He enlisted in the US Navy in June, 1944. He served in the Pacific Theater as a radar operator aboard the USS Trego. He saw action in major battles including Guadalcanal. Commendations included WW2 Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal – One Star.

He graduated Boston College (BS Physics), and University of Nebraska at Omaha (MS Education).

During the Cold War he worked in Europe setting up NATO defense communications monitoring sites. He worked as an aerospace engineer on unmanned and manned space exploration projects including OSO, Mariner JPL, NASA Apollo & Space Shuttle. In subsequent years he taught math in the Omaha Public Schools.

Rocky’s hobbies included Amateur Ham Radio, electronics & computers, and recreational boating.

Clifton is preceded in death by parents Clifton Rockwell & Margaret Eriksen, brother Milton, sisters Anna & Margaret. He is survived by wife of 68 years Janet, sons Lawrence, John, Mark, & Paul, grandchildren Jesse, John, Barbara, Katherine, Benjamin, Samuel, & Valerie, great-granddaughters Stella, Zoe, & Mira.

Memorials may be sent in Clifton’s name to The Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle, Boston, MA.