ROVELSTAD, Roger Andrew., 92 of Largo passed away on Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Roger was born April 17, 1926 to the late Ernest Andres & Alice Josephine (Heiberg) Rovelstad. He attended grade school and early high school in Queens, NY. Roger graduated from West High in Minneapolis, MN in 1943. He joined the US Navy and was a naval aviator from 1943 to 1945. Roger graduated from St. Olaf College in 1949. He then graduated from Northwestern Medical School in 1953. Following internship at Minneapolis General Hospital and 2 years in general practice in Fairmont, MN he took surgical training at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. He practiced surgery at Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI, Streator, IL and in St. Cloud, MN where he also served 7 rural hospitals. Roger was Board Certified in Surgery and also was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
He was a commercial pilot and rated in single, multiengine and glider aircraft and was a senior aviation medical examiner.
He retired from surgery in 1986 and entered HolyRood Seminary and became an Anglican priest until age 89.
In 1951 he married Ardis Reppien in Crookston, MN. Roger is survived by his loving wife Ardis, son Steven (Lynn) and daughter AmyJo Rovelstad. Also surviving are 2 granddaughters, 3 grandsons and 6 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter Laura Gronfield.
Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at 1 PM at St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church, 2790 Sunny Breeze Avenue, Largo, FL 33770. Burial will follow at Serenity Gardens Memorial Park, 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, FL. Condolences may be offered at www.serenityfuneralhomelargo.com.
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth they praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen