Roland T.C. Loeffler was born at home to homesteaders, Christian and Maria (Quast) Loeffler, during a heavy blizzard on October 28, 1919. He was preceded in death by a brother, Oscar and sister, Laura Grube Cawthorne and his wife, Kathryn of 55 wonderful years. Roland is survived by a son David and a daughter Kaete, two grandsons, three great grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
Roland was valedictorian of his class at Elgin, ND high school in 1936. In 1938, he received an elementary teaching credential from Dickinson State Teaching College. He completed his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Grand Forks in 1940 with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology. The pilots license he received through Civilian Pilot training was never used. Roland served one year as government inspector of explosives at the Kankakee Ordinance Works in Joliet, IL. In 1943 he was commissioned Ensign in the U.S. Navy at Columbia University Midshipman School. During his 19 months in the Pacific on the USS Maryland he saw five amphibious invasions. He was then on the commissioning crew of the USS Macon.
Roland began his teaching career at Modesto High School in 1946. He received his Master of Arts degree at U.C. Berkley in 1951 and taught chemistry at MJC from 1954 to 1985. He served seven summers as instructor in gunnery in Navy Reserves Officer Candidate School and retired from the active Naval Reserve with the rank of Commander in 1960.
He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Phi Sigma Pi, Rhi Delata Kappa, California Retired Teachers, Sigma Xi, Navy League, Navy Reserve Association and held offices in the Kiwanis Club of Greater Modesto and the California Association of Chemistry Teachers. Bridge, 50+ years of Square Dancing and 13 years of cuddling newborns at Doctor’s Medical Center filled his golden years. Besides travel he enjoyed growing things in his garden at home and his five acres near Twain Harte. Roland’s sunset years have been brightened by his companion, Dorothy Wagner.
A graveside service will be held at Lakewood Memorial Park at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 20, 2019 followed by a Celebration of Life at 1:00 pm at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 324 College Ave, Modesto, CA 95350
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