James Bitneau Rockwood, 90, of St. Joseph, MO, passed away on May 2, 2021, with his wife and daughter at his side.
James was born on December 20, 1930 in Calvin, Oklahoma, to Joe and Irma Rockwood, and spent his childhood in Oklahoma and Kansas City. He graduated from Kansas State Teachers College where met Arlene Viets, and married in 1953, after graduation.
Following graduation, Jim received his degree in Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago while Arlene worked as a librarian for the Chicago Public Library. He later earned his masters and doctoral degrees in Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary.
Throughout their lives together, Jim and Arlene served the Lord. After Jim was ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he served as pastor of the Newberry, Michigan Presbyterian Church until he and Arlene were called to serve as missionaries in the Philippines for 10 years. In the 1970s, Jim served as pastor of the Butler, Missouri, Presbyterian Church. Jim and Arlene returned to Union Christian College in the Philippines in 1980 and remained in San Fernando until they retired and moved to St. Joseph, Missouri in 1997.
Jim and Arlene joined the First Presbyterian Church where they were both active advocates for Presbyterian mission work locally and worldwide. Jim served as pulpit supply pastor to nearby churches.
Continuing to travel to the Philippines after Arlene’s death in 2011, Jim reconnected with Lynette Delariman, a former teacher from Union Christian College. Lynette and Jim married in 2016.
Jim had a very positive disposition, was a devoted father, grandfather, husband, minister, professor and Rotarian.
The family would like to thank Mosaic Life Care Medical Center, Mosaic Hospice staff, Susie and Cynthia, LaVerna Senior Living-Savannah, and Country Squire retirement home, where Jim lived contentedly for 13 years, for their compassionate care. Memorials may be made out to First Presbyterian Church designated to Union Christian College, Philippines.
Jim is survived by his wife, Lynette, and his three children, Kevin (Emi) Rockwood, of San Fernando, La Union, Philippines, Tacy Rockwood, Janice (Dave) Neumann of St. Joseph, and grandchildren, Nathania and Divina Rockwood, Grant (Kaylee) Neumann, and Abby (Justin) Brisco. Preceding him in death were his wife, Arlene, and Jim’s brother, William Rockwood.
Jim has been cremated under the direction of Heaton Bowman Smith Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 1pm to 2pm on Friday, May 14, at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Joseph, with a memorial service immediately following at 2pm. Due to Presbytery COVID guidelines, masks are required.
