Ed Roelle

I grew up in the Chicago area, and upon graduating from high school I decided I wanted to be a printer. Fortunately I was able to get an apprenticeship at the Chicago Herald American. In 1939 that was not easy. Things were going well until Uncle Sam said "I Want You," and off I went. I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division but came down with rheumatic fever and, after a 7-month stay in the hospital in Fort Bragg, NC, I went to Fort Custer, MI, to work in a print shop for the Corps of Military Police. There I met the love of my life, Barbara. She was from Texas and a sergeant (she continued to outrank me for the rest of her life) in the Women's Army Corps. We dated for about a year before I got up the courage to ask her hand, and we were married in the chapel at Fort Custer. Soon after I was transferred to Fort Sam Houston, TX, and our son, Butch, was born there.

When the war ended we went back to Chicago, and I went back to being an apprentice printer. However, since there were many returning soldiers, the list was long, and I was told it would take 4 to 6 years to finish my apprenticeship. A friend purchased a small newspaper in Sidney, NY, and asked if I would like to go along. It was a big move, but we thought it would only be for 2 years. We loved the small town life so much we stayed for 60 years. It was a decision I never regretted, for I loved my work, and our little newspaper grew from a one-town paper of 900 circulation to a seven-town paper of over 7,000 circulation.

In 1967, our son went off to college, graduating in 1967. After a 2-year stint in the Army, he came to Fort Collins to work on his doctorate in wildlife biology. After finishing his degree, he took a position with the Federal government and is now with the U. S. Geological Survey here. When my wife passed away in 2001, I gradually decided that living alone was a bummer, and in 2006 I moved here to live with my son.

My life has been blessed with Rotary, the Boy Scouts of America, sports, and a wonderful family. Rotary came about because I gave a program to the Sidney, NY, club about a trip I took with 30 boys to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. The Boy Scouts have honored me with the Silver Beaver, and I am a member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. I'll go to any baseball game at the drop of a hat, but in my heart the White Sox will always be my team.

I have served in Rotary in many capacities, including Club President, Assistant to the District Governor, and President of the Club of the District Governor. The Foothills Rotary has honored me by asking to be a member of their club, and I will be as active as my health will allow. It is truly a privilege to be a member of this club.

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