The Reverend Dr. William (Bill) Blyth Rolland, 77, of Monterey, California, died unexpectedly in the early hours of January 12, 2019, from a failing heart. Bill was born July 27, 1941, in Dunfermline, Scotland, and often jested that history and Dunfermline had produced two great men - and Andrew Carnegie was the other one.
Early in his life, Bill felt God’s call to service and entered British Isles Nazarene College in Manchester, England. He graduated in 1965 and assumed his first pastorate in Falkirk, Scotland. Two years later, Bill left Scotland to pursue graduate studies in divinity in the U.S. where he married Lois Abel and had three children; Heather, Elisa and William II. Bill returned to England in 1971 to accept a position as lecturer and dean of students at his alma mater. In his role as dean and teacher, he was an inspiration to hundreds of students, all the while serving as part-time pastor for a local church. When an opportunity for further graduate study in the U.S. developed in 1978, Bill returned and earned his doctorate. For the next 13 years, Bill served as associate minister for the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1990, he moved with his family to the east bay area of San Francisco where he served as senior pastor at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church.
In 2008, Bill married Annah Mesko with whom he remained until his death. The last 20 years of Bill’s life were spent in what he often jokingly referred to as the closest one could get to heaven on earth - Pebble Beach, California. He served as senior minister at Church in the Forest and chaplain, counselor, coach and teacher at Stevenson School. In 2017, Bill retired from the ministry and teaching, but continued to follow his inner calling; counseling and comforting those in need at the Carmel Valley Manor. He served others until God asked him to serve no more.
Over his long career as pastor and teacher, Bill made a difference in the lives of thousands of parishioners, faculty and students. He was a loving, supportive father and an inspiration to his three children. The twinkle in his blue eyes and his witty and mischievous humor will be greatly missed.
Bill is survived by his wife, Annah; his children, Heather Wiyninger (Harley) of Austin, Texas, Elisa Carson (Chris) of Minneapolis, Minnesota and Dr. William Rolland II (Melissa) of Sacramento, California, and his step-children, Kyle Mesko (Arden) and Micah Smith (John). He is further survived by two grandsons, Brett Wiyninger and Casey Carson.
Memorial contributions may be made in Bill’s honor to Hospice Giving Foundation (80 Garden Court, Ste. 201, Monterey, CA, 93940 or https://hospicegiving.org/donate/) where he previously served as a Board Member. A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 26, at 1:00 p.m. at the Keck Auditorium, adjacent to the Church in the Forest, on the Stevenson School Campus in Pebble Beach, CA. Please visit www.thepaulmortuary.com to sign Bill’s guest book and leave messages for his family.
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