Ervin Henry Roehrborn

Ervin Henry Roehrborn, 85, was born on December 17th, 1936, in Marshfield, WI and passed away January 24th, 2022. He fearlessly battled a second round of prostate cancer, shortly after losing his wife, Rae, in November 2020. He missed her dearly.

A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, February 10, 2022, at Zion United Methodist Church in Marshfield. Visitation will be held at Hanson Schilling Funeral Home from 4-7 PM on February 9, 2022, and again one hour prior to service on February 10th, 2022. Following the funeral service, a full military honors ceremony will take place at Hillside Cemetery in Marshfield.

Erv grew up on a small dairy farm West of Marshfield. He was the youngest of five children to parents Anna and Elmer Roehrborn. Erv’s family attended Zion United Methodist Church.  Being a farmer’s kid, Erv was a member of the local FFA while in school, showing pigs at the local fair. At Marshfield Junior and Senior High Schools, Erv loved running track and cross-country and finished in 2nd place at the Cross-Country State Meet in 1954, only a few steps behind 1st place. He ran 3 miles in 12 minutes 7 ½ seconds. He lettered in both sports.

Soon after graduating from Marshfield Senior High School in 1955, Erv joined the United States Air Force. In March 1956, he graduated Air Force Basic Training from Parks Air Force Base in California and was transferred to Loring Air Force Base, Maine where he began training as a woodworker. Later in 1956, Erv was deployed to Itazuke Air Force Base in Fukuota Japan, where he worked for the 6143rd Installations Squadron as a carpenter building barracks, dining facilities and other essential buildings.  Erv was awarded Airman of the Month in November 1957 for outstanding conduct and military bearing, personal achievement, leadership, attitude, character, perseverance, initiative, and devotion to duty. Erv went up before the promotion board and was the only Airman to correctly answer the board member’s questions. The one question that set him above everyone else was “what satellite launched on October 4, 1957”. He correctly answered “Sputnik” and was promoted to Airman First Class on March 1st, 1958. He was very proud that he was the only one that knew the answer. He received the Good Conduct Medal and after serving his four years in the United States Air Force, he was honorably discharged and served two years in the Ready Reserve.

After discharge in February of 1962, Erv returned to the family dairy farm to work until he met Rae rollerskating in Mosinee, WI in 1966. They dated for a year, travelling back and forth between Marshfield and Rhinelander, until they were married May 27, 1967. Erv and Rae lived a happy, Christian life for 53 years together. Erv inherited land from his parents and that is where they built their home, started their family, and opened Roehrborn’s Berry Patch, now a three-generation strawberry farm. They raised two beautiful children, Linda and Andy who have followed in Erv’s footsteps. Linda ran cross country and is in the United States Air Force and Andy has continued the Roehrborn’s Berry Patch legacy.

Erv loved being a strawberry farmer and providing amazingly yummy produce to the local communities for 50+ years.  Just as with any farm, there were tough years with too much rain or too much sun, but there were good years that made up for it. He enjoyed every aspect of owning and running a strawberry farm, especially driving his tractor into late hours of the night. Erv did all the fieldwork, all the while working for Marshfield Homes and later, Wick Building Systems. He retired with 37 outstanding years as a forklift driver.

Erv enjoyed singing in the Zion United Methodist Church’s choir with his wife, Rae, for 30+ years. He happily served on the Trustee and Building committees. Additionally, Erv and Rae were the church historians and built a beautiful wooden photo memorial to honor the members of Zion United Methodist Church. He was a great, yet quiet man of faith and was one of the current, longest living members of Zion, having attended since birth.

In his younger years, Erv enjoyed many weekends downhill skiing at Rib Mountain in Wausau, WI, with Rae. When he wasn’t out in the field on a tractor, Erv loved vacationing with Rae, Linda and Andy, going to tractor pulls, spending time with his grandchildren, napping with his furry grandpups, listening to talk radio or watching western tv shows.  

Erv is survived by his daughter Linda Roehrborn-Rodriguez (Sam), son Andy Roehrborn (Amanda); grandchildren Julieta, Sam Jr, Austin, and Ashton; sister-in-laws Lois Junker, Shirley Roehrborn and Jean Roehrborn, brother-in-law Roland Junker (Faye) and many loving nieces and nephews.

Erv was a gentle Christian man with a big heart and loving smile. He was cherished by many and will be deeply missed by his family, friends, strawberry customers, and Zion church family. His family loves him very much and will miss him dearly till they meet again. He is now reunited with Rae in Heaven.

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