John Roy Roepke

John Roy Roepke, 81 passed away on December 22, 2007, after a valiant fight with cancer. John was born on October 6, 1926 to Louis and Vera Roepke in Waterloo, Iowa. He was active as a Boy Scout and a Sea Scout. After graduating from West Waterloo High School he enlisted in the US Navy in 1944. Following recruit training and Fire Control Operators School he was assigned to the USS Burdo. While attending Fire Control School in Washington DC he played on the Receiving Station Football team and was recommended for the Naval Academy via prep School football team and passing the Naval Academy entrance exam he was discharged as a FCO 2ND class. John entered the Academy with the class of 1953 as a member of the 6 th Company. He lettered in both Lacrosse and football, and was selected as an All American Lacrosse player in his Junior Year. After graduation, John married Dorothy May Freschauf of David City, Nebraska in June of 1953. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations on the USS Sandoval and USS Tucker. After graduating from the Naval Post graduate School in Monterey CA, he took command of the USS Summit County. From there he taught NROTC at the University of Notre Dame, then John and family were sent to Vietnam, where he served for 2 years as an advisor to their Naval Academy. Returning to the US he was assigned as XO of the USS Rogers. After a tour in OP NAV, he and family were transferred to Oslo, Norway to NATO headquarters, Allied Forces North. John completed his naval career as XO/CO of the Naval Ordinance Missile Test Facility at White Sands, NM. Unable to stay retired, John signed on with Lockheed as a test/maintenance engineer at NASA's White Sands Test Facility. He retired for good in 1994. Having served in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam, John was a true patriot with a deep love of his country. He was an avid woodworker and gardener and maintained a keen interest in the Navy Football team. John had a huge heart and was always ready to give of his time and talents to his community, many friends and beloved family. Above all John was a dedicated and loving husband and a world-class father and grandfather. A man who never met a stranger, he will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved him. John is survived by his wonderful wife of 54 years, Dorothy; son Tim and wife Dana; daughter Kim and two granddaughters, Catherine and Rebecca. Also surviving is a sister Alberta and her husband Edwin Benedict. Memorial Services will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2900 Elks Dr., Las Cruces, NM. Inurnment of his ashes will be in the St. Francis Garden Columbarium at Holy Cross Church at 2 PM also on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in John's name to Mesilla Valley Hospice, 299 Montana Ave., Las Cruces, NM 88005 PDF Printable Version