Roger Alan Panton

PANTON, Roger A., age 85 of Beavercreek, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, on Saturday, March 21st, 2026. He is survived by his children: daughter Lauren and son-in-law Anthony Fleury, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; son Blake and daughter-in-law Kris Panton, grandchildren Colin and Alex of Seattle, Washington; brothers Ronald of Austin, Texas, David of Wichita, Kansas, and Don of Boulder, Colorado, and several nieces and nephews. Roger was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Charlotte, and his parents, Charles and Catheryne Panton. He was born on November 16th, 1940, in Neodesha, Kansas. He graduated from Southeast High School in Wichita in 1959 and received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University in 1965. He later completed a Masters in Engineering Management at the University of Dayton in 1975. Roger and Charlotte moved to Dayton, Ohio, in 1966 when Roger reported for active duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). They stayed in the Dayton area after he was discharged from the service in 1970, and he accepted a civilian position at WPAFB. Over the next thirty years, Roger held a number of engineering positions of increasing responsibility, including serving as Chief Engineer on the C-17 program from development through first flight. Roger retired from WPAFB in 1998 and then worked as a consultant for several non-profit companies helping the military with advanced computer modeling and design related to aviation. He retired for good in 2011 to help care for his wife Charlotte, who was diagnosed with dementia.

Over his lifetime, Roger was involved in many professional organizations in leadership roles, including the Affiliate Societies Council of Dayton (ASC) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and served on the boards of other engineering-related organizations. In his personal life, he was very active and liked being outdoors and working with his hands. He enjoyed biking on the local trails, gardening, and creating stained glass. He liked to draw for relaxation and created charcoal pencil drawings of many subjects, including landscapes and family members. He and Charlotte volunteered at the Beavercreek Historical Society and attended Peace Lutheran church as active members. He was a devoted family man and community member, and passed away peacefully surrounded by his immediate family.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 28th, 2026, at Peace Lutheran Church, 3530 Dayton-Xenia Rd., with internment to follow in Mt. Zion Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Greene County Council on Aging or your local senior support center. The family would like to acknowledge the dedication and support of many devoted local caregivers over the past five years.