Rabbi Richard Keith Rocklin

With deep sorrow, as well as immense gratitude for the time we had with him, we are saddened to announce that Richard Keith Rocklin passed away from this life on January 2, 2025. Richard, known by some as Dickie, by many as Rabbi Rocklin and by his family as Abba or Sabba, was born on December 15, 1938, to Bill and Flora Rocklin. He grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, living above his father’s neighborhood grocery store, and was surrounded by a large and engaging extended family. As a child, he loved athletics, playing as many sports as time would allow, loved roaming around the city with his best friend and first cousin, Michael Seiler, and loved playing practical jokes whenever the opportunity arose. 

At a very young age, he was hit by a car while crossing the street. He suffered serious, life-threatening injuries and committed, if he survived, to live his life by serving others. He kept that promise to himself. After recovering from the accident, Richard connected with a tremendous teacher, who ultimately became his mentor and role model, Avigdor Kovel. Through his actions, Mr. Kovel taught Richard the beauty of humility, kindness, charity, piousness and righteousness. Richard, naturally inclined to those attributes, embraced those characteristics and spent his life exemplifying them. Influenced by the accident and Mr. Kovel’s teachings, as a teenage boy, he decided to become a rabbi and thereafter undertook the steps to accomplish that goal. 

Subsequent to high school, he spent two years studying religion in Chicago and then attended the University of Minnesota and studied philosophy. He served as the president of his fraternity and the president of Hillel. After his undergraduate education, he moved to New York to attend the Jewish Theological Seminary. His studies brought him to Jerusalem for a year, where he fell in love with the State of Israel and spent his life devoted to, and bragging about the accomplishments of, the country. He also became a father during that year when his first daughter, Avi, was born. He then returned to New York and completed his studies. During the first years of his career in the rabbinate, he had two more daughters, Tamar and Shira. 

Using his remarkable ability to connect with people and his gentle nature, Richard served as a guiding light and a source of comfort in the lives of many during his 15 years as a rabbi in Charlotte, North Carolina, and his 25 years in Lake Worth, Florida. His passion for serving others was evident in every interaction, every sermon he gave, every class he taught, every bar and bat mitzvah he performed, every wedding he officiated and every lesson he proffered. He fostered a sense of love, belonging and understanding, making each individual feel important and special.

Upon retirement, he moved to Colorado to be with his family and considered those the best days of his life. In fact, Richard’s consistent response to “how are you” was “this is the best day of my life.” Richard eventually resided at the Carillon (later the Pearl), where he connected and engaged in a meaningful way with his fellow residents and with the staff. Although no longer an acting rabbi, Richard was essentially the rabbi at the Carillon, conducting services, delivering lectures, leading the celebration of holidays and lending a helpful ear when needed. As in the other phases of his life, he was well loved there.

Besides his family, there was nothing more important to Richard than spreading kindness. At every chance, he would tell you, whether he had known you for years or just met you, that one’s faith (Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, etc.) should be one’s way of life, but one’s religion should be KINDNESS. There could be no better way to honor Richard than to carry out that sentiment – make your religion kindness.

Richard was also an avid animal lover. He adored his dog Yofi and took Yofi everywhere he went. (Actually, he had at least four dogs named Yofi!) He would never harm a fly, literally. If a fly or an insect was inside, he would catch it and bring it outside. He donated to every animal charity he could find.

Above all else, Richard’s family was his greatest joy and his greatest happiness. He always put their needs first and they were always in his thoughts. He is survived by his three daughters, Avi (David), Tamar (Hans), and Shira (Mike), by his six grandchildren, Talia, Zach, Anna, Ben, Sam and Jack, by his three “step” grandchildren, Danya (Liam), Laurel and Joshua and by his two “de-facto” daughters, Adina and Julia (Matt). 

Richard wrote a book of quotes. For a flavor of his thinking, here are a few:

• The best brand of medicine is a kind word;
• Your most meaningful exercise is to bend down and lift up another;
• Memories occur in what you do for others; what you do for yourself fades like a passing shadow;
• Your ego is a great thing to lose;
• G-d created us with two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak; 
• Life and death are in the hands of G-d. The in-between parts are up to you; and
• You may not hear your eulogy, but you’ll surely write it by the way you live.
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Richard’s legacy will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing him. He truly was one of the greatest people you could ever meet, leaving behind a world that is better for having had him in it. He will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all whose lives he touched.

May his memory be a blessing.

If you’d like to make a donation in his honor, the Rocklin family suggests the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keensurg, CO (https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/visit-us) or American Friends of Magen David Adom (https://afmda.org/).