Roger Lee Wilson

Roger was born on February 27th, 1936 at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Van Nuys High School in 1954, and then attended Valley College, East LA College, & UCLA. He was a member of the Air Force Reserve for 6 years and joined the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in 1958, and worked through various assignments before ending his career in 1991. His favorite assignment was as a member of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau “Bulldogs” – a team of detectives with one of the highest homicide-solved rates in the nation.

Roger married the love of his life, Beverly Eaton, on September 7, 1957. Roger and Beverly had four children, Ray, Steve, Cristal, and John – and all were with him the day he passed. They lived in the San Fernando Valley until 1967, when they moved to their current home in Westlake Village, California. Roger was very active with youth athletics, and was an executive officer of local and regional athletic conferences. Camping, RV’ing, boating, water & snow skiing, were frequent family adventures. Yearly houseboat trips to Lake Powell, to the beach, and to Mammoth Lakes were family favorites. Roger and Beverly hosted the entire family on a Caribbean Cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Roger & Beverly have travelled all over the world together, often hosted by the International Police Association. He travelled with his Sheriff’s Department friends & family to Tibet and China, India, the Middle East, Russia, Europe, Africa, South America, and Australia. Roger also loved his country, and saw most of it from the driver’s seat. He was a patriot who had a tear in his eye for every national anthem and fly-over. Roger was also a fisherman, and was the President and Life Member of the Ventura County Sportfishing Club, and fished the oceans and seas of the world including Alaska, the Caribbean, and Central America, as well as our local waters. Roger and Beverly opened their home to host Olympic Water Polo team members, Jeff Powers & his wife Kristin, and Tim Hutton and his girlfriend Kelly while they trained locally before the last Olympics in China. Dad was thrilled to have the Silver Medal around his neck after they returned from Bejing. They have become very good friends, and dad will no doubt find a way to cheer them on to the Gold Medal in London this summer.

Roger was beloved by all who met him. Roger has legions of friends who enjoyed his storytelling and quick wit, and he will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Roger leaves behind his loving wife Beverly, his son Ray and wife Janice, with their children, Jessica, Sarah, Amanda, Daniel, and Emma of Thousand Oaks; son Steve with wife Pam, and their children, Laurie and Jennifer of Anaheim Hills; his daughter Cristal of Westlake Village; and his son, John and wife Donna, and their children, John, Logan, and Griffen of San Diego, California.

The family would like to thank Hospice Care of Kaiser Permanente for their support and care during this difficult time. A very special thanks to Roger’s caregivers, Cornelius Florence and Bradley Freeman, who are now and will always, be family to us. Thank you to all of Roger’s friends for the support and love that they have always shared with our family.