BURLINGTON – Rodney Dean “Rocky” Yale, 77, Burlington, died Sunday, March 22, 2026, at a Rochester, MN, hospital. 
Rocky was born March 14, 1949, in Minot, to Harold “Sonny” and Clarice “Tess” (Hedberg) Yale.  He was raised on the family farm in Grassland Township, Renville County, just north of Greene.  He attended Grassland Township School through the fourth grade, then attended school in Mohall where he graduated from Mohall High School in 1967.  After high school graduation, he attended National College of Business in Rapid City, SD, graduating with degrees in computer science and accounting.  During his time in Rapid City, this is where he met Cynthia “Cindy” Mikkelsen. 
His family, and the community he grew up in, know him as Rodney; many of you also know him as Rocky, as in Cindy’s “my rock,” solid and steady. 
Rocky joined the U.S. Navy in 1969 and served during the Vietnam War.  Rocky and Cindy were married January 30, 1971, in Huron, SD.  Their son, Scott, was born in 1974; and their second son, Chad Yale, was born in 1977.  They were both born at the U.S. Navy Hospital in Charleston, SC.  During his Navy service, he went to boot camp in San Diego, and attended submarine school in Groton, CT, and Damneck, SC.  He served on the AS31 Simon Lake, submarine tender; SSBN 628 U.S.S. Teccumeh submarine in Scotland; AS33 U.S.S. Huntley, submarine tender, Charleston, SC; and at the Polaris Missile Facility in Charleston, SC. Rocky was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1980.  He continued to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and then the U.S. Army Reserve, until he retired with 26 years of service, with an honorable discharge, in 2009. 
After Rocky’s honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, the family returned to Minot where he did apartment maintenance and carpentry.  They owned and operated candy and snack vending machines and coin-operated laundry equipment.  He recently helped his oldest son, Scott, with his excavating business.  Rocky’s service to our country ran deep into his heart and soul, and he was proud of his service.  He was honored to be invited to the commissioning of the U.S.S. North Dakota, a nuclear submarine, in 2014, in Groton, CT. Rocky was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Burlington, and served on the property and management committee.  To family, friends and neighbors, you knew Rocky best when you needed help with a project, call Rocky; when you needed something fixed, call Rocky; when you needed to borrow a tool you didn’t have, call Rocky; when you needed time to talk, with a beer or a “toddy,” call Rocky. 
Family: Loving wife of 55 years, Cynthia “Cindy” Yale, Burlington; sons, Scott (Ami) Yale, Burlington, and Chad Yale, Minot; grandchildren, Carson and Sierra Yale; siblings, Roger Yale, Tolley, Kevin (Renae) Yale, Minot, Kim (Marilyn) Yale, Queen Creek, AZ, Greg (Robin) Yale, Watford City, Rhonda Holsten, Mohall; and aunt, Helen Hedberg, Osakis, MN; and numerous nieces, nephews and double-cousins. 
Rocky was preceded in death by: His parents, Harold “Sonny” and Clarice “Tess” Yale; brother, Gary Yale; brothers-in-law, Jim Holsten and James Teer; nephew, Trey Holsten; sister-in-law, Margie Yale; and father- and mother-in-law, Darrell and Phyllis Mikkelsen. Funeral: 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 27, 2026, at Peace Lutheran Church, Burlington. 
Burial: Burlington Township Cemetery, Burlington, later in the Spring of 2026. 
Sharing of Memories Service (Open to the public): 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Zion Lutheran Church, Mohall. 
Visitation: One hour prior to the Sharing of Memories Service and the funeral service.  Friends may also sign the online guestbook at brosefuneralhome.com. 
Memorials: Memorials preferred to Tunnel to Towers (t2t.org), or Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org). (Brose Funeral Home, Mohall)