Donald Gough Rockwell

ROCKWELL, Donald Gough - age 76 of Flint Township, passed away July 17, 2025. A memorial service will be held at noon, with a visitation beginning at 10:30 AM, on Friday, August 15, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church of Flint, 746 S. Saginaw St, with Rev. Dr. Joseph Novak and Rev. Dr. Paul Ytterock officiating. A visitation will be held from 2-4 PM and 5-8 PM on Thursday, August 14, 2025 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Miller Road Chapel, 8138 Miller Rd, Swartz Creek. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Flint (https://www.fpcf.org/) or Carriage Town Ministries, 705 Garland St, Flint (https://www.carriagetown.org/).

Don was born on April 11, 1949 to Gough E. and Dorothy I. (Iverson) Rockwell in Flint, Michigan. He married Diane Marie McMillan on August 1, 1975. Growing up in Flint, Don graduated from Southwestern High School in 1967. He continued his education at the University of Michigan-Flint where he graduated with distinction in physics in 1971. He earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Detroit School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1976. He began his legal career as a clerk for the Honorable Thomas C. Yeotis, a partner at Smith & Brooker, P.C. and a partner at Nill, Rockwell, Shannon and Keene, P.C. He was registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Don also served as a judge for the 67th District Court in Genesee County. Most recently he served as legal counsel for Kettering University. Don held the title of president for several organizations including the State Bar of Michigan as its 83rd president, Genesee County Bar Association, University of Michigan-Flint Alumni Society, American Inns of Court Centennial Chapter of Flint, Rotary Club of Flint and Flint Township Civil Service Commission. He was a board member of the Community Dispute Resolution Center and Carriage Town Ministries in Flint. He was also a long standing officer and active member at First Presbyterian Church of Flint. Don was deeply committed to his profession and the community of Flint. He was very proud to be “just a kid from Flint.”

Surviving are his wife of almost 50 years, Diane; son, Greg (Allie) Rockwell; daughter, Susan (Steve) Ross; granddaughter, Violet Diane Ross; sister, Pat (Jerry) Ginger; cousin, David (Mary) Rockwell; brother-in-law, Glen (Nancy) McMillan; nieces and nephews, Laurie (Ginger) Jones, Tim McMillan, Nikki (McMillan) Matheson and Amy (McMillan) Bigelow. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gough and Dorothy Rockwell; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Mary Ann McMillan; nephew, Glenn Donald Ginger and his cousin, Gordon Rockwell. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.