Roger enjoyed life, his family, and living in the Northwest. He had eclectic tastes in reading and in hobbies. In his early days in Washington he enjoyed driving his prized 1955 Chevrolet two-door station wagon that he picked up at the factory and drove to Seattle with his family. In the later years he became interested in his family genealogy and spent many hours in research.
Roger was born in 1928 to Peter and Selma Wierenga. He was raised during the Great Depression in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his father and uncle started a sheet metal and roofing company. During his youth, Roger worked different jobs at Wierenga Brothers Roofing Company: job billing, payroll, rivet bucking, metal shaping and all-around gofer. Roger graduated from South High School, Grand Rapids Junior College, and the University of Michigan. He married E. Jane Bouwman in 1951 and the couple moved to Seattle where Roger was employed at the Boeing Company until his retirement in 1992. During his forty years at Boeing, Roger worked on the KC-97, B-52, Minuteman, 707, 727, 737, 747, 767, SST Programs, and on the B-52 Flight Test Program. He was the Engineering Man-of-the Month in 1988. He was a member of SPEEA, SAWE, the Museum of Flight, and other organizations of special interest to him. His interests included archaeology, geology, genealogy, photography, jigsaw puzzles, New York Times Sunday crossword puzzles, World War Two history, and communion tokens of the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland.
Roger’s wife, Jane, died in December 2014 after 63 years of marriage. He is survived by his children Nancy Pfaff, Susan Wierenga, James (Karen) Wierenga, Scott (Janet) Wierenga; grandchildren Lindsey Lynd (Ryan), Erin Leckband (Josh), Elizabeth Wierenga-Lee (Emmanuel Quintana), Jamie Wierenga (Kristin), Julie Damery (Keenan), and Jacob Wierenga (Becca Meekhof), and twelve great-grandchildren. Also surviving Roger are his sister Nancy Wierenga of Grand Rapids; sister-in-law Mary Bouwman of New Jersey; niece Patricia Keyser, nephew Robert Bouwman, and numerous cousins.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances in his name may be made to a nonprofit of your choice. Interment will be at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bellevue after a private service.
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