Bernard H. Rottinghaus, 86, of Corning, Kansas, died early Tuesday morning, October 7, 2008, at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.

He was born on January 27, 1922 in Corning, the son of Henry and Magdalen Steinlage Rottinghaus, the first of 10 children. In 1941 he was the first male student to graduate from Kelly High School. In 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve his country during World War II. After discharge, he attended Kansas State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Fraternity, and graduated in 1948 with a degree in Civil Engineering.

He married his beloved wife of 60 years, Josephine “Josie” Siess, on June 15, 1948 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Benedict. The couple moved to Edina, Minnesota in 1961, where he worked as a partner for Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff, a nationally recognized architectural and engineering firm that has now evolved into HNTB.

In 1984, he and Josephine moved back to live on the Rottinghaus family farm. In 1987 Bernard served as foreman for construction of Nemaha Valley Community Hospital, the same facility where he passed away. His other community activities included helping to plot out the west side of St. Bede’s Church Cemetery in Kelly. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling, reading, playing golf and working on his farm.

He was a member of the St. Bede’s Catholic Church in Kelly, the Knights of Columbus Council #1769, the Ponce De Leon Assembly and the Earl W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion, all in Seneca, and the NRA.

He is survived by his wife Josephine of the home; his three children, Mark Rottinghaus of Corning, Susan (Dan) Hills of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and Mary (Torrey) Foster of Chicago; four grandchildren, Kevin Rottinghaus of River Falls, Wisconsin, Jeff Rottinghaus of Roberts, Wisconsin, Claire (Torrey) Foster of Chicago, and Torrey Foster III of Chicago; three brothers, Clarence of Wetmore, Marcellus of Shawnee Mission, and Ray of Seneca; and five sisters, Rita Gockel of Kansas City, Kansas, Rose Heiman of Axtell, Helen Lierz of Seneca, Mary Sieben of Prairie Village, and Dorothy Hammes of Seneca.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Ed.

Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Thursday, October 9, at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 AM Friday at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be given in Bernard’s memory for St. Bede’s Cemetery, and sent in care of the family.