J. Rockne Calhoun

Joseph Rockne Calhoun died Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Country View Nursing Home in Bowling Green.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday at Collier Funeral Home in Louisiana.
Visitation will be held from noon until time of service Saturday at the funeral home.
Joseph Rockne Calhoun was born Feb. 7, 1939 at Pike County Memorial Hospital in Louisiana to Joseph and Eleanor Carroll Calhoun. His father named him after Knute Rockne, the former Notre Dame football coach, in hopes that his son would embody the spirit of the name he was given. Joe would prove to be right on the money.
Rockne grew up in a loving home with his younger sister, Peggy, who he would entertain and laugh with his entire life. He was a very active young man, as well. Thanks to his Uncle John B. Carroll, he acquired a love of nature and good-natured mischief at a young age. But it was in athletics where he began to lay claim to the name he was given.
Appropriately enough, Rockne excelled on the football field in high school and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Missouri. Rockne played at Mizzou from 1957-60 and, at 5’7”, 200 lbs., was undersized even in those days. However, Rockne continued to live up to his name, earning a starting position on the line his Junior and Senior years. His efforts helped the Tigers reach back-to-back Orange Bowls, while Rockne was selected 1st Team All-Big 8 Defensive Tackle along the way. His head coach, Dan Devine, would later say “Rockne Calhoun was the toughest player I have ever coached”.
After graduation from Mizzou, Rockne would spend several years coaching high school football where encouraging in his players that same toughness that his coach saw in him. Rockne’s coaching stops included: Grant City, Nashville, IL, Bowling Green, University of Missouri (as a graduate assistant while attending law school) and Centralia, Missouri. Rockne had many successes on the game field, but the bonds created with his players through his coaching career are what defined him in his player’s eyes. Many members of his Centralia teams made it an annual tradition over the last ten years of Rockne’s life to travel to Pike County as a group just to visit their former coach.
Rockne retired from coaching in the mid-1970’s and would eventually move back to Pike County where he was elected Prosecuting Attorney in 1982. He served in that role until 1990 when he was elected Associate Circuit Judge, until his retirement in 2002.
He is survived by his sister, Peggy York and husband, Jim of Louisiana and four children, Rich Eickelman of Bowling Green, Randee Wahlgren and husband, Rob of O’Fallon, Rainee Sinroll of Columbia, and Joe Calhoun of Louisiana; as well as 14 grandchildren.
Rockne was a genuine, caring, and inspiring individual. As a friend, he was fun and dependable. As a judge, he was tough, yet fair. As a coach he was demanding, but cared deeply for his players. As a father, he was all a son or daughter could have asked for. Rockne lived up to his name and then some. He will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in memoriam of J. Rockne Calhoun, to the Louisiana Alumni and Friends Scholarship Fund.