John T. Roehrig

Born in Peoria, Illinois, John was raised with strong values of kindness, generosity, and integrity—qualities he carried with him throughout his life.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, John’s greatest joy was his family. He shared a deep and abiding love with his wife, Geana, who was his partner in all things for 17 years. He is survived by his children: daughters Becci (Tommy), Amber (Chris), Brittany (Brian), and son Austin (Erin). He was a proud Papa to Ryne, Cailyn, Olivia, Caiden, Sloan, and Brier.

John is also survived by his brother Steve Roehrig (Linda), his sister Vicky DeRoo (John), and his brother-in-law Pat McCartney (Tami), as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents William and Vivian Roehrig.

John’s selflessness extended far beyond his family. As a dedicated public servant with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), his intelligence and commitment to science played a crucial role in the treatment of West Nile virus and numerous Dengue diseases. Throughout his career, John was an active researcher, authoring 185 publications that were widely read and respected in the scientific community. His work was shared globally, accumulating over 20,270 reads, and his research contributions were integral to advancing knowledge in his field.

His legacy as a thought leader in global health research is immeasurable. His work in epidemiology, disease prevention, and global health initiatives had a profound and lasting impact, saving countless lives across the world. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, John was honored with several prestigious awards, including the CDC Director's Award for Excellence in Public Health Leadership, the Global Health Service Award, the National Public Health Service Award, the Colorado Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research in Public Health, the National Center for Infectious Disease Secretary’s Award of Distinguished service, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outstanding Unit Citation in Lyme Disease Group, and Joint Group Honor Awards with the West Nile Virus Investigation Team as well as the Nicaraguan Epidemic Investigation Group.

John had a remarkable 34-year career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he was a research microbiologist and later served as the Branch Chief of the Arboviral Diseases Branch. During his tenure, he played an instrumental role in addressing vector-borne diseases such as the West Nile virus and Dengue fever, leading numerous successful efforts to improve public health and disease prevention strategies. From 2003 to 2014, he served as a Distinguished Consultant and Research Microbiologist, helping shape policies and practices that still benefit the global community today.

After his time at the CDC, John continued his lifelong passion to educate on infectious diseases and ALS which continued until his passing.

Even after his passing, he continues to contribute to the well being of others through organ donation.

Despite his many accomplishments, John remained humble, always putting others before himself. He lived with quiet dignity, a sharp wit, and a heart full of compassion. His kindness left an indelible mark on the world, and those who knew him will carry his memory forward with love and gratitude. John’s life was a testament to the power of generosity and dedication. His love for his family, his work in global health, and his profound impact on those around him will never be forgotten. While he may no longer be with us, his spirit will live on in the lives he touched and the difference he made.

A celebration of John’s life will be held at 11am on March 31st, 2025, at Timberline Church 2908 S. Timberline Rd, Fort Collins, CO. Those that may not be able to attend John's service in person may do so virtually via livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/live/5M8UYWAmh-s

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in memory of John Roehrig be made to the ALS Rocky Mountain Chapter https://alsrockymountain.org/donate/, in honor of John’s lifelong dedication to improving the health and well-being of others. Fond memories of John and words of condolence for his family are welcome at resthavencolorado.com.

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The following article about John's life appeared in the Fort Collins Coloradoan on March 14th, 2025:

Local vector-borne disease expert who led US West Nile virus response dead at 73

Written by: Erin Udell - Fort Collins Coloradoan

It started with birds.

In the summer of 1999, birds across New York were mysteriously dying in droves — their bodies peppering city parks, Long Island roadsides and Westchester County golf courses, according to Associated Press reporting from that time.

People were next. By August, a cluster of elderly patients were being treated for a mystery illness at a New York City hospital. They were feverish, confused and complained of achy muscles, but doctors couldn't figure out the cause. Meanwhile, cases like theirs kept growing, per the AP.

A pair of city epidemiologists ended up calling the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which referred them to the CDC's lab in faraway Fort Collins and the man at the helm of its Arboviral Diseases Branch: John Roehrig.

Roehrig answered the call — both literally and figuratively — and ended up on the front lines of the U.S. response to West Nile virus. Two decades later, Roehrig's work on the virus is still one of the biggest chapters of his storied career as his family looks back on his life.

Roehrig died March 8 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called ALS. He was 73.

Roehrig started working for the CDC's Fort Collins-based Division of Vector-borne Diseases as a research microbiologist in 1979 — six years after the division moved from its original headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, according to the CDC website. At the time, Roehrig had recently earned his Ph.D. in microbiology and done post-doctorate work in virology.

He ultimately became chief of its Arboviral Diseases Branch, which researches arboviruses, or viruses spread by blood-sucking arthropods like mosquitoes and ticks, according to Dr. Lyle Petersen, the director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in Fort Collins.

In the summer of 1999, the CDC — under Roehrig's leadership — was able to confirm that the mystery virus sweeping New York City was indeed West Nile virus, which had been discovered in Uganda more than 60 years prior but had never been detected before in the U.S. Roehrig led nationwide efforts of diagnosing West Nile virus, predicting outbreaks and providing preventative guidance as it spread, Petersen said.

"The fact that West Nile virus appeared in New York City for the very first time in the western hemisphere was shocking," Petersen said. "Here’s this exotic virus from Africa suddenly appearing in a major metropolitan area. It was completely surprising."

"People were really mystified and scared by it," Petersen added, noting that West Nile virus can cause neurological symptoms and death. "What was also surprising was how fast the virus actually spread, so it was a real challenge for us to be able to build national capacity to deal with this in a short amount of time."

During that time, the CDC also discovered West Nile virus could be transmitted in previously unknown ways, like through blood transfusions and organ transplants, according to Petersen.

Roehrig continued to work on West Nile virus in the years since the initial U.S. outbreak, including his work on developing a West Nile virus vaccine. While there is still no West Nile virus vaccine approved for human use, some have been used on animals. Petersen credits the use of a West Nile virus vaccine on California condors with saving the endangered species, he said.

Under Roehrig's direction, a licensed dengue vaccine was also developed at the CDC's Fort Collins lab, Petersen said.

Roehrig retired from the CDC in 2016.

"One of the things that was very remarkable was the breadth of work that he actually did. He worked on quite a few viruses and did innovative work," including on viruses like yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis, Petersen said.

"He was extremely knowledgeable and a really good thinker. He had an unassuming personality, too. He was not one that bragged. He just got down there and did the work," Petersen said. "He was very respected in the field and was really regarded as a world leader, but it didn’t go to his head."

Despite being in a highly technical field, Roehrig had a warmth about him and "could connect with anybody," his daughter Brittany Woolard told the Coloradoan.

"He could make people feel just as smart as him," said Woolard, adding that her dad also had a great sense of humor and loved playing with his grandchildren.

Roehrig is survived by his wife, Geana; children Becci, Amber, Brittany and Austin; and six grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held for Roehrig on March 31 at Timberline Church, 2908 S. Timberline Road, according to his obituary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the ALS Rocky Mountain Chapter "in honor of John's lifelong dedication to improving the health and well-being of others."

The article can also be seen online at https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2025/03/14/john-roehrig-vector-borne-disease-expert-who-led-us-west-nile-virus-response-dies/82327692007/