Ernie Rochat

Ernest Hayes Rochat Sr., age 92 was born on November 7, 1933 in Knoxville, Tennessee to Alma Hayes and Ernest Henry Rochat. He grew up in the historic North Knoxville neighborhood with his two sisters, Mary Elizabeth (Beck) and Virginia (Stoffell). While living on Scott St., Ernie raised chickens and sold eggs. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he earned the highest rank of Eagle Scout. Ernie attended the University of Tennessee earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. While at UT, he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Pride of the Southland Marching Band. While at UT, he married the love of his life, Alma Gresham. After college, Ernie joined the US Army and was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, where he was a cryptographer and worked inside a deep underground tunnel, decoding and routing Top Secret Information and was honorably discharged. He and Alma had their first child, Suzan Melinda, soon followed by a son, Ernest Hayes. Ernie managed Rochat Realty for many years, built homes in the Broadacres subdivision & later worked for the FDIC. His last job was with Clayton Homes where he was the Retail Property Manager; there he made many good friends and loved going to lunch with them. Ernie was a lifelong member of Central United Methodist Church and took a great deal of pride being a part of the Swiss founding families of Knoxville.

He is survived by son, Ernest "Hayes" Rochat, Jr. of Powell; daughter, Suzan Rochat (Alan) Harnack, of Kingston; grandson, Andrew (Mary) Harnack of Houston, Texas; great granddaughter, Skylar; numerous nieces and nephews and many good friends.

Family will receive friends from 1-2pm on Saturday, November 22nd at Central United Methodist Church, 201 East Third Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917 with memorial service at 2pm. Burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetery, 3500 Tazewell Pike, Knoxville, TN 37918 on Sunday November 23rd at 1pm. Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church.

POPPY GONE HOME!