Obituary of Edward William Roelle

Edward W. Roelle Sidney, NY Edward William Roelle, 91, of Ft. Collins, CO, and former longtime resident of Sidney, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 in Loveland, CO. Ed was born on February 2, 1922, son of the late Charles M., Sr. and Dorthea (Wilken) Roelle in Oak Park, IL. He graduated from Christian Fenger High School in 1939 and served in the United States Army during WWII. On August 25, 1944, Ed married Barbara Price in Fort Custer, Michigan. Following his honorable discharge, Ed and Barb moved to Sidney in 1947. Ed was a printer and general manager for the Tri-Town News newspaper for nearly 40 years, retiring in 1984. He was a member of the International Typographical Union for most of that time. Ed's involvement in and dedication to his community were extensive. He was a founder and 3-time chairman of the General Clinton Canoe Regatta, was instrumental in the acquisition of land for the General Clinton Park in Bainbridge, and was a member of the inaugural class of the canoe regatta Hall of Fame. Ed was a member of the Boy Scouts of America for over 70 years, receiving the distinguished Silver Beaver Award as well as being nominated for the 100th Anniversary National Hall of Leadership for the Boy Scouts. He was a member of Rotary International for over 50 years, belonging to both the Sidney Club and the Foothills Club in Ft. Collins. He exemplified the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self." Ed was also a founding member of the Sidney Community Foundation and served as the president for over 10 years. While associated with the Community Foundation, Ed was the principal force behind the design and construction of the nature trail that now bears his name, and also spearheaded acquisition of the outdoor clock in front of the Sidney Public Library. Other involvements included the Library Expansion Committee and serving on the Board of Directors for the Sidney Hospital Foundation and the Cullman Children's Developmental Center. He was an inductee of the Tri-County Bowling Hall of Fame and was honored by both the Sidney and Bainbridge Chambers of Commerce as Citizen of the Year. Ed is survived by his son, Butch, of Fort Collins, CO; his grandson, Christopher, of La Jolla, CA; and his granddaughter, Jenna, of Gilbert, AZ. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara P. Roelle, his brother, Charles M. Roelle, Jr. and his sister, Phyllis C. Cowart. Friends are invited to call from 6:00 to 8:00pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, 21 Main St. Sidney, NY 13838. Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, March 20th at the funeral chapel with Fr. Gordon Polenz officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Sidney. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Sidney Community Foundation, P.O. Box 333 Sidney, NY 13838. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.landersfh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of C.H. Landers Funeral Chapel, Sidney.