Homer Martin Rothfusz

Remembering Homer

Homer Martin Rothfusz, 84, died on September 4, 2024, in Ocala, Florida. He is remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather with a dry wit, a sharp mind, and for his desire to explore the world both as a tourist and an avid reader.

He was born on a farm in North Dakota, the youngest of three children born to Alma and Martin Rothfusz. He started his education in a one-room school. At age 12 he had a driver's license that allowed him to drive into town for high school where, in his senior year, he became the class president of the largest class ever in Ashley. Attending Boy's State helped expand his horizons and gave him the ambition to go to North Dakota State University in Fargo. He kept treasured friends from those years for his whole life.

College challenged him after a "fun and easy" time in high school, particularly as he dove into a chemistry major. He fondly recalled his undergrad research there. After sophomore year he went to Chicago to work for the summer at Desoto and, later, United Wallpaper labs. He loved the work and decided to major in Polymer Science. In his free time, he devoured all of O. Henry, Bertrand Russell and many other "serious writers" (as he put it). He also began Army ROTC and received basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington. Senior year was a blur of lab work, ROTC and tough classes like Physical Chemistry which culminated in a new summer job at Glidden in Cleveland, a second lieutenant's commission and a graduation with a Bachelor of Science all within a few days of each other.

The summer job with Glidden gave him more independent chemistry research and more freedom, but in the spring he reported to Fort Sam Houston for officer's training in the Medical Service Corp. He expected to serve in the reserves for six months training corpsmen, but the Cuban missile crisis extended his service by a year, giving him time to make lifelong friends. The Army was generally good to him. When he wasn't teaching how to set up and strike MASH tents, he was singing in the officers' club. 

Upon his discharge, he and his fellow almost-first-lieutenants took a road trip that he talked about for the rest of his life. They covered sights from Alcapulco to Yellowstone. After their trip, he went back to work again at Glidden in Cleveland before a fortunate transfer to Atlanta.

In Atlanta, Homer met his wife-to-be, Mary, through her cousin. Homer obtained an MBA in Atlanta from Georgia State University. After moving to Cleveland for a promotion, he proposed to Mary. A big family wedding in Chicago led to fifty-eight years of happy marriage, four children and two grandchildren.

Homer's passion for chemistry and his family values led him away from Glidden to Delta Laboratories. He enjoyed helping this family-run company grow and moved his own family to Ocala, Florida where he spent the rest of his days. 

Homer and Mary traveled extensively. Their house is filled with hundreds of great books, travel memorabilia, art and the happy memories of many shared birthdays and holidays.

Homer was (mostly) a patient listener and a good explainer, teaching first corpsmen, then chemists and finally his children how to achieve their goals. Those who knew him, family, friends, colleagues and customers, all sought his perspective, his humor, and companionship. He will be missed every day. 

His family would like to thank those who've sent encouraging words and prayers. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Brother's Keeper of Ocala, Florida.