Roger Lee Amole Jr.

Roger Lee Amole, Jr., of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away 80 years young on January 13, 2020 at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, after a courageous battle with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Roger was surrounded by his family who loved him deeply – his wife of 39 years, Debra Bray, and his children Ryan Amole, Carolyn Amole, and Devin Amole. Roger is also survived by his daughters-in-law Nina Ardalan (Ryan) and Alexandra Simpson (Carolyn), his sister Patricia Megale, brother-in-law Joseph Megale, and their four sons and families, as well as his brother-in-law Tim Bray, sister-in-law Kathy Bray, and their three children and families.

Born September 15, 1939 in Roanoke, Virginia, Roger is the son of Mary Dibrell Raleigh and Roger Lee Amole, Sr. He graduated from Jefferson High School in Roanoke, where he played football and baseball. Roger graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1964, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and went on to attend William and Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, graduating in 1968. Roger was a Captain in the United States Army from 1964-1966 and a member of the Army Reserves from 1967-1973.

Roger was a highly experienced and respected lawyer in Northern Virginia where he practiced law for over 50 years. After beginning his career as a prosecutor in Alexandria and rising to the position of Deputy Commonwealth Attorney, he then went into private practice in 1974, in Old Town Alexandria. Roger’s private practice was primarily focused in personal injury litigation and estate planning. Roger was a skilled litigator and successfully tried many cases throughout Northern Virginia. He handled significant litigation in the areas of medical malpractice, wrongful death, defamation, business relations, and clergy sexual abuse. Roger was selected as a Virginia Super Lawyer in 2006 and 2007 and as a District of Columbia Super Lawyer in 2007 and 2008. He was a member of Outstanding Lawyers in America since 2002 and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 1997, and held an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Roger is a former President of the Alexandria Bar Association and served as a member (former chairperson) of the Virginia State Bar Fourth District Committee on lawyer discipline. Roger loved his work because it afforded him the opportunity to work hard and help people in need.

In addition to sharing a loving marriage for nearly four decades, Roger has been in practice with his wife Debra at their firm, Amole & Bray PC for the past 20 years.

Roger was heavily involved in his church and in the community. He served pro bono as legal counsel for Aldersgate United Methodist Church, chaired the ‘Not Too Far From Here’ fund to support individuals in the community in need, and served on the board of the Virginia United Methodist Foundation and the Josephine Daniel Pell Foundation. A lover of music and art, he sang in Aldersgate’s ‘Men of Note’ choir. For many years, Roger also coached his children’s sports teams, including Gunston and Alexandria soccer and Fort Hunt baseball and basketball.

By far, Roger’s proudest accomplishment was his family. He was a dedicated husband and father, and was adored by his wife and children. Roger instilled in his children the values of kindness, gratitude, compassion, respect, laughter, and hard work. A man of great integrity and faith, he counted his blessings every single day. He believed laughter was the key to everything in life – he was a wonderful storyteller and always self-deprecating.

Roger was an avid sportsman who enjoyed being outdoors and running, skiing, playing golf, going to the gym, and playing endless hours of sports with his children. A lover of the natural world and all animals, Roger was the sole caretaker of all the family dogs over the years – Sasha, Ditto, and Sparky, as well as Molly who survived him. We know he will be so happy to be reunited in heaven with Sasha and Ditto… Sparky, less so.

Always a true Southern gentleman and a genuinely kind and gentle man, Roger made everyone feel at ease in his presence. Roger will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but his legacy will live on in the good deeds and lives of those who loved him.

Services to celebrate his life will be officiated by Reverend Dennis Perry and held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday, January 24th at 1 pm. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will occur at a later date.

Please send flowers to the church or donations to the Aldersgate Scholarship Fund in Roger’s memory.