Rod Bockenfeld
{{Short description|American politician from Colorado (1955–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| image_size =
| name = Rod Bockenfeld
| caption =
| state_house = Colorado
| state = Colorado
| district = 56th
| term_start = January 4, 2019
| term_end = January 8, 2025
| preceded = Philip Covarrubias
| successor = Chris Richardson
| constituency =
| majority =
| party = Republican
| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|12|9}}
| birth_place = Quincy, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|02|13|1955|12|9}}
| death_place = Watkins, Colorado, U.S.
| spouse = Susan Bockenfeld
| alma_mater = Western Illinois University
University of Colorado
| occupation = Banker, small business owner
| residence = Watkins, Colorado, U.S.
| religion =
| website =
}}
Rodney Joseph Bockenfeld (December 9, 1955 – February 13, 2025) was an American politician who served as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 56th district, which encompassed portions of Arapahoe and Adams counties, including the communities of Aurora, Bennett, Brick Center, Brighton, Byers, Comanche Creek, Commerce City, Deer Trail, Lochbuie, Peoria, Strasburg, Thornton, Todd Creek, and Watkins.Colorado Reapportionment Commission Staff. [https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Legislative_District_Information-House_Final.pdf Legislative District Information After 2011 Reapportionment: House District 56] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201235303/https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Legislative_District_Information-House_Final.pdf |date=February 1, 2017 }}. Viewed: January 3, 2019.
Early life and education
Bockenfeld was born on December 9, 1955, in Quincy, Illinois.{{cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denvergazette/name/rodney-bockenfeld-obituary?id=57613236|title=Rodney J. Bockenfeld|work=The Denver Gazette|date=February 21, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.coloradohouserepublicans.com/rep-bockenfeld|title=About Rod Bockenfeld|publisher=Colorado House Republicans|access-date=January 8, 2025}} He graduated from Quincy Notre Dame High School, a private Catholic school, in 1974 before attending Western Illinois University, from which he graduated in 1978 with a B.S. in law enforcement administration.{{cite news|url=https://www.whig.com/20181117/rod-bockenfeld-elected-to-colorado-legislature#//|title=Rod Bockenfeld elected to Colorado Legislature|publisher=whig.com|date=November 20, 2018|access-date=November 24, 2018}} Shortly thereafter, Bockenfeld moved to Colorado and began working as a financial crimes investigator. In 1989, he received a diploma from the University of Colorado graduate school of banking.
Political career
In 2004, Bockenfeld was elected Arapahoe County Commissioner, a post he held for 12 years.{{cite news|url=https://www.sentinelcolorado.com/elex-guide-2018/former-arapahoe-county-commissioner-rod-bockenfeld-wins-hd56-race/|title=Former Arapahoe County Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld wins HD56 race|first=Kara|last=Mason|publisher=sentinelcolorado.com|date=November 7, 2018|access-date=November 24, 2018}} He was also chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.
=Elections=
After defeating the incumbent Philip Covarrubias in the primaries, Bockenfeld was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 56 percent of the vote over 41 percent of Democratic candidate Dave Rose.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/06/us/elections/results-colorado-elections.html|title=Colorado Election Results - Election Results 2018 - The New York Times|work=The New York Times |date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=November 24, 2018}}
In the 2020 Colorado House of Representatives election, Bockenfeld defeated his Democratic Party and Libertarian Party opponents, winning 35,520 votes. Democrat Giugi Carminati won 23,790 votes and Libertarian Kevin Gulbranson won 2,531 votes.{{cite web |url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2020/2020BiennialAbstractBooklet.pdf |title=2020 abstract of votes cast |date=2020 |page= 118 |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State, State of Colorado |access-date=December 4, 2020 }}
In the 2022 Colorado House of Representatives election, he again defeated his Democratic Party and Libertarian Party opponents, winning 75.83% of the total votes cast.{{cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/115903/web.307039/#/detail/2560 |title=Colorado election results: November 8, 2022, general election state representative district 56 |author= |date= n.d. |website=Colorado Secretary of State |publisher=State of Colorado |access-date=December 4, 2022 |quote=}}
Bockenfeld did not run for re-election in 2024, citing health reasons.{{cite news |last=Goodland |first=Marianne |date=June 5, 2024 |title=Competitive primary races in Colorado House and Senate races see hot fundraising |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/colorado-house-senate-primary-races/article_c6e209de-2378-11ef-8274-db360fa01fe6.html |url-status=live |work=Colorado Politics |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240605222227/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/colorado-house-senate-primary-races/article_c6e209de-2378-11ef-8274-db360fa01fe6.html |archive-date=June 5, 2024 |access-date=December 11, 2024}}
Personal life and death
Bockenfeld lived in Watkins, Colorado, with his wife Susan. He had five children and four grandchildren.{{cite news|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/10/10/colorado-house-district-56-candidate-questionnaire/|title=Colorado House District 56 candidate Q&A|publisher=The Denver Post|date=October 10, 2018|access-date=July 8, 2020}} Bockenfeld died on February 13, 2025, at the age of 69.{{cite news |last=Goodland |first=Marianne |date=February 18, 2025 |title=Rod Bockenfeld, former Colorado House representative, remembered as dedicated public servant |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/former-state-rep-rod-bockenfeld/article_7dab2f76-ee33-11ef-8e64-f79f6ae210f7.html |work=Colorado Politics |location= |publisher= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250220141134/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/former-state-rep-rod-bockenfeld/article_7dab2f76-ee33-11ef-8e64-f79f6ae210f7.html |archive-date=February 20, 2025 |access-date=February 20, 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/rod-bockenfeld Legislative website]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly
Category:People from Arapahoe County, Colorado
Category:People from Quincy, Illinois
Category:University of Colorado alumni
Category:Western Illinois University alumni
Category:County commissioners in Colorado
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