Jay Dee Roller, 1925 – 2011

ROLLER, COOK, SHARP, KOLOSIK, KANTER, BRECHT, VER SCHUURE, WILDEBOER, ANDERSON, DAVIDSON, STANPHILL

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 4/12/2011 at 13:02:14

Celebration of life service for Dr. Jay Dee Roller, 85, North English and Rogers, Ark., were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the Powell Funeral Home, North English. He left his earthly body and traded it for a new heavenly model Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. His battle with cancer and ferocious struggle with Alzheimer’s is over.

The Rev. Edwin Jordan officiated at the service.

Burial with military rites will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, in the Austin Cemetery near Best, Ark.

A memorial fund has been established for Iowa City Hospice and the Austin Cemetery.

Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.

Jay Dee Roller was born June 11, 1925, in Duathart, Okla., the son of a coal miner, Alva and his wife Mary Ethel Cook Roller. He was the eldest of five children. As a young boy, his parents moved to their native Arkansas and he spent his youth in the hills of northwest Arkansas.

He proudly served in the United States Marine Corp during World War II, spending most of his time in the South Pacific, on Iwo Jima. His family is very proud of his service to his country and that he received the Purple Heart medal.

After his military service, he attended Lincoln School of Chiropractic in Indianapolis, Ind., becoming a doctor of chiropractic.

He married Claris Belle Sharp in 1952 and the couple settled in Kansas City, Mo., before moving to North English in 1954, where he practiced chiropractic.

In the 1960s, his country background arose. He invested in a farm and he spent several years farming and keeping busy along with his practice. He was very community minded and responsible and spent many years as the mayor of North English.

He was a member of the American Legion, the Masonic Lodge and the El Kahir Shriners. One of his family’s special remembrances is the years spend with the English Valleys Saddle Club. He was very active and became the first president when the club was organized in 1964. Many, many good times were had with wonderful friends and horses.

In his retirement years, “Doc” and Belle spent much of their time in Rogers, Ark. While there, he took on the God-given responsibility of being a deacon on their church board at the House of Worship, Hindsville, Ark.

Roller is survived by his children and their spouses, Sharon and Gary Kolosik, North English; Elaine and Jim Kanter, Cedar Falls, and James and Leslie Roller, Osceola, Ark.; grandchildren and their spouses, Aron and Ayla Kolosik, Sarah and Roger Brecht, Adam Kolosik and fiancee Kasie Ver Schuure, Dustin and Alicia and Travis and Alyssa Wildeboer, Bridget and Lowell Anderson, and Micah, Alyssa and Mariah Roller; great-grandchildren, Issac Seth and Luke William Kolosik, Seth Jessen, Tate Donald and Charlie James Gariel Brecht, Evan Lowell and Zoey Layne Anderson; one sister and her husband, Peggy and Willis Davidson; two brothers, Clyde Roller and wife Betty and Don Roller, as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and special friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Neva Stanphill, and one grandson, Seth William Kolosik.

Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Williamsburg, Iowa, 13 Jan 2011, pg 3