Ladron Roering — Rochester

Ladron Odean Roering, 86, of Rochester, passed away in his home on Aug. 19, 2016.

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at Christ United Methodist Church.

Lad was born in Villard, Minn., to Irma and Leo Roering on May 20, 1930. He graduated from Atwater High School in 1948. After graduation, Lad attended Gale Institute to study telegraphy. Lad's work as a telegrapher with The Great Northern Railroad instilled in him a lifelong love of trains. He served in the Army Signal Corps where he played football and worked as a high-speed radio operator. While he was in the service, he called from the base at Camp Gordon to propose to the love of his life, Ann Gabriel. A week later, Lad and Ann were married in Minnesota. Lad graduated from North Dakota State School of Science with a degree in TV repair in 1956 and earned a master's degree in engineering at SRI in New York City. He worked as an engineer for IBM for 35 years in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Offutt AFB in Omaha, Neb.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Endwell, N.Y.; Rochester; and Menlo Park, Calif. During this time, Lad also enjoyed repairing TVs, accumulating enough abandoned TVs to provide one for each of his children's bedrooms.

Lad loved to travel and visit new places. When their children were young, Lad and Ann took many family vacations, visiting as many states as possible. He also loved taking the family on factory tours of all kinds and trying new flavors of ice cream at roadside stands. He and the kids prided themselves on being able to set up a tent faster than anyone else in the campgrounds. On one amazing boat trip, Lad took his sons down the Mississippi River and traversed all 29 locks and dams. After the kids grew up, Lad and Ann took more elaborate trips to Europe and around the United States, including 13 cruises.

Lad was active in Osman Shrine, Scottish rite, Masons, Rochester Senior Center where he worked in the computer lab, The Vital Aging Commission, IBM retirees, and Christ Church. He served on the Minnesota Conference Board of Stewardship and gave presentations on stewardship to other churches. He enjoyed golf, travel, and had an intellectual curiosity that was unrivaled. He was on the Byron City Council, an active member of the Republican Party, an election judge, and one of the founders of The Byron Snow Bears. Lad received The President's Volunteer Service awards from 2006 to 2015. In 2014 and 2015, he received The President's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lad is survived by his wife of 64 years, Ann; children, Bryan (Karen Greengard), Catherine (Daniel Schloss), and David; granddaughters, Sarah Mullis and Amy Fliflet (Kyle); great-grandson, Deagan Mullis; brother, Donald (Cleo); and nieces and nephews.

Lad is preceded in death by his mother and father.

Memorial donations may be made to Christ United Methodist Church. The family wishes to extend its gratitude to Mayo Hospice.

Friends may share a memory at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.