Brenda Rommel

Brenda Rommel, 70, passed away on June 25, 2026.

Brenda Rommel was born March 15, 1956, to Howard and Jenny Hawk at Bannock Memorial Hospital in Pocatello, Idaho. She was the first of three children. Brothers Randy and Brian would follow. Brenda attended schools in Pocatello and graduated from Highland High School in 1974 where she was active in girls’ basketball. After high school, Brenda went to Idaho State University vo-tech school where she was enrolled in data entry classes. She had many occupations in her life. Brenda was a secretary/receptionist for real estate companies, physical therapy clinics, but the job she really enjoyed was becoming paralegal. She last worked for Goicoechea Law Offices in Pocatello before the death of the managing attorney forced her into retirement.

It was during one of those years of employment that she actually became a disc jockey/radio announcer at KWIK-AM and KPKY-FM in Pocatello. She was typically on the air on the weekends and usually on the overnight shift because the station owner wanted a female voice to appeal to all the male workers at the nuclear site in Arco and the overnight male workers at both J.R. Simplot and FMC. It was during her disc jockey duties, she met her future husband, Don Rommel, who was already working at the station in the early 1980’s. Her and Don struck up a friendship that lasted many years, and in 1987 the two fell in love. Their wedding was on June 3, 1989, and they celebrated 37 years together as a couple. Brenda and Don had an adventurous life together. They honeymooned in Cannon Beach, Oregon, they made it to Hawaii once in 2006, New York City in 2008 to accompany Don on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” and were scheduled to go back to Hawaii on October 1st of this year.

Although Brenda and Don weren’t blessed with any children, that didn’t stop them from spreading their love to their various, nieces, nephews and many “animal children” they’ve had over the years. She used to play pool in her early twenties and thirties, and was quite good at the hobby. She even played doubles pool with country singer Charlie Pride while playing in Lava Hot Springs. If you knew Brenda, you knew she could be a firecracker. She had that ancestral Greek and Italian temper which was pretty easy to ignite, and she had an opinion on almost anything. Her cousin Billy in New York City called her “feisty”, to which she replied, “I AM NOT FEISTY!!!”

She was an avid sports watcher. She would watch almost any professional sports, either MLB, NBA or the NFL. Her favorite teams were The New York Yankees in baseball, the Chicago Bulls in the NBA and the Chicago Bears in the NFL. Of all the places that Brenda and Don have gone in their travels, she hated Chicago the most.

Brenda is preceded in death by her parents Howard and Jenny Hawk. Her grandparents George and Mildred Hawk and Nick and Rosie Contos.

 She is survived by husband, Don Rommel of Pocatello. Her brothers Randy Hawk and his wife Holly of Portland, Oregon and Brian and Mary Ellen Hawk of Pocatello, Idaho. Sister in law, Kathryn Rommel of Alpine, Wyoming. Nieces Phinon Woodside of Newark, Delaware; Breanna Hawk of Pocatello and Harlie Madison Rommel of Alpine, Wyoming. Nephews: Garrit Hawk of Hartsville, SC, JD Elmore of Pocatello, Idaho, Dalton Dieter of Weeping Water, NE. Best Friend Pam Swan of Chubbuck, Idaho.

Though flowers are appreciated, it would really warm Brenda’s heart to consider a donation to the Bannock Humane Society. 

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, July 10, 2026 at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 W Chubbuck Road, Chubbuck, ID.

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