George T. (Tim) Rockwell

George T. (Tim) Rockwell, 71, of Killbuck, NY, passed away June 4, 2018 at his home after a long battle with lung cancer.

Born April 16, 1947 in Salamanca, NY, he was the youngest child of George A. and Margeurite Mongillo Rockwell. On October 9, 1983, he married the former Susan Askey who survives.

Tim grew up in East Salamanca attended Prospect Elementary School and Salamanca Central High School.

In the Viet Nam Conflict, he served with the U.S. Navy Seabees 31st Naval Construction Regiment out of Port Hueneme, California at the U.S. Naval Station on Midway Island and also in Okinawa, Japan. He was a life member of Hughes-Skiba American Legion Post #535 and John F. Ahrens Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5296.

Tim was a natural born mechanic, a skill he used throughout his lifetime in his employment. He at various times worked for Salamanca Ford Motors, Chuck Fluent Fuel Oil Company, Deerhead Mobile Homes, the City of Salamanca D.P.W., 16 years as an engineer for the B & O and Chessie System Railroads, Salco, and finally as a Maintenance Supervisor for The Salamanca Lumber Company, Inc. He retired in 2009. After his official retirement, he worked part time for the Cattaraugus County Agriculture Association and A & F Trucking.

Cars always played a big part in his life. He drag raced them, tore them apart and put them back together, built them, painted them, bought them, sold them, smashed them, fixed them and just generally loved them. When he wasn’t working on cars he always had a truck, boat, trailer, motorcycle, dune buggy, mini bike, tractor, or bulldozer he was working on.

In the last few years and months of his life, he put all his time and effort into reconstructing and remodeling the Rockwell Family camp in Sullivan Hollow. He was always available to help his friends if they needed a hand with plumbing, construction, heating, wiring and any other repair work.

Besides his wife of 35 years he is survived by four children, Timothy L. Rockwell of Salamanca, NY, Heather Rockwell of Kannapolis, N.C., Michael (Denise) Frank of N. Tonawanda, NY, Pamela (Jeff) Yaworsky of Kill Buck, NY, five grandchildren, Brooke smith, Jaelyn Rockwell, Jacob Yaworsky and Ava and Noah Thurston, a sister, Zenna (Walt) Rockwell, two brothers, John (Sue) Rockwell and Robert (Laurie) Rockwell. He was predeceased by his parents, grandparents and many aunts and uncles.

There will be no visitation.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at 2 p.m. in the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, NY with Rev. Michael Trenchard officiating.

Full military honors will be conducted by members of Hughes-Skiba American Legion Post #535 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5296.

Memorials may be made the charity of the Donor’s choice.