Robert Bob Roland

Bob Roland was born in Perry, Iowa in 1931 and graduated from high school in 1949. While in high school he delivered newspapers and worked in a small grocery store for $3.00 a day. In high school he played the trumpet in the school band. After graduatin he spent two years in electronics school and then worked at Boeing in Wichita, Kansas on the B-47 bomber.

He joined the Air Force in 1953 and was sent to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on December 20, 1953. They had no licensed operator for the Military Amateur Radio Station (MARS), so Bob was able to work there for his 2 year tour. He talked to 63 countries through Amateur (HAM) Radio while he was stationed in Alaska.

In 1955 he was transferred to Orlando, Florida where he also worked as the MARS operator. While in Florida he "moonlighted" 34 hours a week at WDBO-TV as a projectionist. He was discharged in January 1957 and soon married Maxine Belew. He worked in Wyoming and in Oregon for Union Pacific Railroad installing and reparing radios and microwave telephone equipment. He married Miriam in 1963 after the death of Maxine with cancer. Bob left the railroad in 1964 and joined the Air National Guard at the Portland Air Base as a full time radar maintenance repairman. He retired following open heart surgery in 1986.

Bab and Miriam have two sons. David was born in 1965 and Wayne in 1970. David, who lives in Japan, is a career Navy technician. He is married to Yukari, and has two children, Daniel (16 years) and Denali (13 years). Wayne is a Marketing Manager for Food Services of America. He is married to Betty. They have two children, Hannah (19 mo.) and Lucas (4 1/2 mo.). Bob is also survived by his sister-in-law, Donna Roland, and his nephews, James Roland and Bill Roland.

HAM radio was a big interest in Bob's life. He was first licensed in 1952 with the call WOLKU. He as licensed as K7EPE aster he moved to Oregon. He built his first radio from an article in an electronics magazine. In retirement years he and Miriam were involved in the Dipsea Net Ham Radio Club, where they made many friends through campouts, picnics, dinners, and other club functions.

Bob enjoyed camping at a number of Oregon State Parks and other campgrounds around the Northwest. He amd Miriam took the family camping often when David and Wayne were young and continued to camp into their retirement years. Over the years they had several different travel trailers, a motorhome, and a 5th wheel travel trailer.

Other notable travels included going to Japan in 1993 forthe wedding reception for David and Yukari, Hawaii with the air base for a traiing program in the 1980's (Miriam went on the trip too), and numerous trips to see family and friends in Iowa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding states.

Bob enjoyed photography, singing, gardening, the Portland Trailblazers, and attending church. Bob became a Christian when he accepted the Lord as his savior at age 13 at the 1st Baptist Church in Perry, Iowa. Bob and Miriam have attended Gateway Baptist since the 1970's.

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Bob Roland was born in Perry, Iowa in 1931 and graduated from high school in 1949. While in high school he delivered newspapers and worked in a small grocery store for $3.00 a day. In high school he played the trumpet in the school band. After graduatin he spent two years in electronics school and then worked at Boeing in Wichita, Kansas on the B-47 bomber.

He joined the Air Force in 1953 and was sent to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on December 20, 1953. They had no licensed operator for the Military Amateur Radio Station (MARS), so Bob was able to work there for his 2 year tour. He talked to 63 countries through Amateur (HAM) Radio while he was stationed in Alaska.

In 1955 he was transferred to Orlando, Florida where he also worked as the MARS operator. While in Florida he "moonlighted" 34 hours a week at WDBO-TV as a projectionist. He was discharged in January 1957 and soon married Maxine Belew. He worked in Wyoming and in Oregon for Union Pacific Railroad installing and reparing radios and microwave telephone equipment. He married Miriam in 1963 after the death of Maxine with cancer. Bob left the railroad in 1964 and joined the Air National Guard at the Portland Air Base as a full time radar maintenance repairman. He retired following open heart surgery in 1986.

Bab and Miriam have two sons. David was born in 1965 and Wayne in 1970. David, who lives in Japan, is a career Navy technician. He is married to Yukari, and has two children, Daniel (16 years) and Denali (13 years). Wayne is a Marketing Manager for Food Services of America. He is married to Betty. They have two children, Hannah (19 mo.) and Lucas (4 1/2 mo.). Bob is also survived by his sister-in-law, Donna Roland, and his nephews, James Roland and Bill Roland.

HAM radio was a big interest in Bob's life. He was first licensed in 1952 with the call WOLKU. He as licensed as K7EPE aster he moved to Oregon. He built his first radio from an article in an electronics magazine. In retirement years he and Miriam were involved in the Dipsea Net Ham Radio Club, where they made many friends through campouts, picnics, dinners, and other club functions.

Bob enjoyed camping at a number of Oregon State Parks and other campgrounds around the Northwest. He amd Miriam took the family camping often when David and Wayne were young and continued to camp into their retirement years. Over the years they had several different travel trailers, a motorhome, and a 5th wheel travel trailer.

Other notable travels included going to Japan in 1993 forthe wedding reception for David and Yukari, Hawaii with the air base for a traiing program in the 1980's (Miriam went on the trip too), and numerous trips to see family and friends in Iowa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding states.

Bob enjoyed photography, singing, gardening, the Portland Trailblazers, and attending church. Bob became a Christian when he accepted the Lord as his savior at age 13 at the 1st Baptist Church in Perry, Iowa. Bob and Miriam have attended Gateway Baptist since the 1970's.

Arrangements under the direction of Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes, Portland, OR.