September 3, 1941 – July 30, 2023
Loveland, Ohio – Ron Rolke owned Rolke Bros Supply Co. in Historic Downtown Loveland for 31 years.
Ronald Carl Rolke, was the beloved husband of Barbara Rolke, devoted father of David Rolke, Russell (Lisa Rogers) Rolke, Christopher (Stephanie) Rolke , Cheryl (Jeff) Taylor, and Dennis Browning, loving grandfather of Ethan Rolke, Kaitlyn Rolke, Andrew Browning, Donald Browning, Meredith (Jason) Wakeland, Megan (David) Taylor-Tucker, Brittney Taylor, and Nicholas Browning, Great-grandfather to Raymond and Andrew Wakeland, Wesley, Jackson, Tanner Tucker, and Hunter Duty. Dear brother of Gene (Donna) Rolke.
Ronald graduated from Loveland High School in 1960, went on to study at Morehead University, and proudly served in the United States Airforce.
Ronald passed away on July 30, 2023 at the age of 81. Family will receive friends at the Bethel-Murdoch Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 3rd from 2 PM until time of services beginning at 3 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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A note from Managing Editor David Miller:
“Ron graciously allowed me to spend some days at the store in the Spring of 2008 when I learned the store was going to close and probably be demolished. I asked him if I could explore from floor to ceiling and also the upper floor where I found the gears and belts of the machinery that ground grain, and decades of cobwebs. He also allowed me to take the photos you see of him waiting on his faithful customers. Below are the photos that have never been seen before and when the store contents were auctioned.”
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Ronald Rolke owned Rolke Bros Supply Co. in Historic Downtown Loveland for 31 years. The business was a fixture of Historic Downtown and was located where the Loveland Station parking lot is now.
Ron bought it from his father Henry Rolke. Son Chris told Loveland Magazine, “At Rolke Bros we sold pretty much anything, salt, plants, and seeds in the spring, food for birds, dogs, cats, horses, cows, etc. We sold straw and hay throughout the year as well as fencing and pet supplies. In the early years, we sold a lot of coal to individuals and even to Loveland schools to heat their buildings. At one point we even sold baby chickens.”
Chris added, “My grandfather bought the business in 1947 and my father ran it until 2008. I had done some searching and found references to the main building having existed in the 1880s. The business survived the infamous 1959 flood as well as a major fire in 1963.
The store was originally established in 1897 as J.P. Queenan’s Coal, Feed and Grist Mill. It provided several services and products, including grinding, corn meal, coal oil, axle grease, gasoline, and many farm and garden supplies. The next owner, in about 1910, was A.L. Eddingfield, followed by “Pappy” Cornett. Henry Rolke bought the business in 1947. The business remained in the same location by the railroad station and historic depot until it closed in 2008.
