Elaine, I am very sorry to hear of Roger's passing. I have many fond memories of him during the years we worked together. He was a real character and brought enthusiasm to his work that was refreshing.  He always had a strong devotion and love for you and the kids.  Please take care.
Jeff Dunk

Roger and I met as members of the Canadian Authors Association. With books to sell, we were part of the Edmonton House books collective along with Rosalie Rasmussen. 
He and I continue to stay in touch with lunch every once in awhile. We shared stories about our lives, our frustrations and our hopes and dreams. He adored his wife and family and was so proud of them. 
Multi-talented and with a heart as big as all outdoors, he kept me in awe with his curiosity and zest for life, regardless of some of his daunting challenges over the years. I will miss your 
physical presence, Roger. As a treasured friend, you made a big difference in my life, and I'm grateful.

Mrs. Adkin and family
My condolences in the loss of your husband, father and grandfather. 
May precious memories of him somehow ease the heartache you are feeling today. 
You all are in my thoughts.
MaryAnn Metrunec

Well today’s the day, the day I am forced to acknowledge that your laugh, your stories, adventure's and your friendship will no longer have a physical existence. We met through our kids sports and cadet events, 25 years ago and we became great friends as a group. Your stories, artwork and drawings will be missed and are now that of legends, for which you truly are. I always said that you knew too much and you reflected that as our friendship grew and life went on, you had a little version of me on your shoulder saying to you, “Roger you know too much move on”… but you often still spoke up for what was right. This is one of the constants we could all rely on as family and friends. From this point I will have a small version of you sitting on my should pushing me forward and keeping me guided. We love you, we will definitely miss you, and we will be there for your family to support them when needed. Roger, A,K.A. Big Daddy, you will be the only one to have earned this nickname in my circle of friends and family.

Our sincere condolences to Elaine and family. We have many fond memories of Roger and of all the laughs and good times we shared. Thinking of you all at this difficult time..

Curtis and Betty Borsa

Winnipeg, MB

Very sorry to hear of Roger's passing. I will always have fond memories of our many work related trips and his stories that were always interesting  and amusing. He was a great friend and will be missed.

Elaine, Katelyn, Megan and Nelson

My sincere condolences on the sudden passing of Roger, your devoted husband and father.

I met Roger when I transferred to the RCMP Customs & Excise Unit and Roger was assigned to work on a joint forces operation at RCMP headquarters, I truly enjoyed working with him. He was a very dedicated worker who had strong opinions and wasn’t afraid to take on management if he believed strongly in something. Roger was a talented artist who was always sketching something or someone. He was also a talented writer as well  and he trusted me to proofread the first book that he eventually had published of which I still have a signed copy.

Another memory I have of Roger is when he, John Ferguson and I went to Lilac Resort, a water slide park and campground East of Winnipeg for a Dad’s weekend getaway with our kids.

Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Steve and Lyn Colwell

Dear Elaine, Katelyn, Megan and Nelson.  My sincere condolences to you, and your families at Roger's passing.  

I have many fond memories of working with Roger.  There were so many strange work occurrences that we went through, those were the early days of I & I with so much confusion, chaos, hijinks and unbelievable work success.  In our work we felt like hero's, bad guys, and victims, and that was only last week's work.  Those were unbelievable days and I can only imagine what kind of stress it put on Elaine.   

Elaine, Roger loved you deeply, and he kept true to you.   Katelyn, Megan and Nelson he had such admiration, love and pride for you.  I remember meeting Nelson for the first time, as an infant, he was sleeping, no matter Roger wanted me to see him, he was so proud of being a Papa as he held him high and beamed as he showed off his son, to his partner at that time.   What a Dad.  He was dedicated to his family and worked hard at doing well for his family.  

Roger and I didn't always agree on things and we did part ways, with mixed feelings on my part.  Happy to be his partner, mad for some of the things he did to me, and sad for some of the things I did to him.  I regret not having another chance to talk, reminisce, laugh about the good times, and resolve some of those feelings.   I am happy to have known him, and honoured to have called him my partner and friend.   
Ken Friesen
Winnipeg

Elaine, Katelyn, Megan, Nelson, and growing families;

I tear-up as I write this condolence.  I am so very sorry to hear of Roger's passing.  He was like a brother to me during my Customs days in Manitoba.  I first met Roger when he was teaching at the Customs College in Quebec in the early 1990's.  He had short orange hair then and many exciting stories of adventure in the Customs world.  How could you not be friends with Roger?  He eventually mentored me in the Customs Intelligence world and for that and his close friendship along the way, I am forever grateful.  Roger was a a friend that I would crawl over broken glass for to help in a time of crisis.  He was one of those people.

I understood that Roger's life growing up in Winnipeg was not easy and so I was always absolutely impressed by his devotion to you, his family.  You were often on his mind.  He spoke of all of you with love and affection, and wanted you to live with hope and opportunities for the future.  

Eventually, Roger and you his family, moved to Edmonton for work opportunities.  A few years later, I joined the RCMP and over time, we lost touch; very much to my regret and for that I am sorry.  

Again, please accept my condolences.  Roger really was a legend in the Customs Intel world in Manitoba and beyond, and personally, I am so very grateful for him.  

I can be reached at paul.fuhr@yahoo.ca if you would like more stories about Roger, your husband, father, grandfather, etc.  

With sorrow and gratitude also,
Paul Fuhr

I had the pleasure of working with Roger when I was the Customs Investgations Manager in Winnipeg. He was a very effective officer and fun to work with, although he a unique way of showing his disagreement with management, to the point of picking me up over his head twirling me around a few times before threatening to dump me in the dumpster behind an Ellice Avenue restaurant where we went to celebrate the transfer of a unit member!  Such fun times we had.  He was a very talented artist and did this caricature for us.  A great guy with a heart as big as he was.  RIP Roger.

I will surely miss my dear friend of 24 years and our adventures and visits together especially the early chilly mornings and cold evenings hunting trips. Roger taught me about the quality of endurance and making things right as part of a just world and the importance of caring for others. My sincere thoughts and love to his  family. Glenn

Elaine and Family,
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Roger’s sudden passing. While I got to appreciate his incredible artwork and a few stories, Shawn got to call him a great friend for many years. And now they are together again. 
I am thinking about you and sending love during this surreal time and hugs for the days that lie ahead.

I’m so sorry to hear of his passing Elaine.  I worked with Roger years ago in the Customs Intelligence and Interdiction Unit in Winnipeg when I was a dog handler.    I have so many fond memories of working with him.   He had such wonderful personality and  was  a joy to work with.   His laugh still echos in my mind.  I am grateful to have known him.  He left us way too early.

My condolences to the family. Roger and I worked together as intel managers for 20 years. We had a blast wherever we met across the country. I never met a more kind spirited and genuine fellow. He was a big man that belied the little boy within him. An artist at heart, he was always full of ideas and never lacked for a good story. Thanks for the fond memories my friend. You will be missed.

To a great friend and colleague. I meet Roger when I joined Customs Intel in Halifax, I walked back to our work area and here was this huge guy dressed up like a biker. Thought he was in there by mistake, he put out his hand and said " hi, Roger Adkin on assignment  with the RCMP".  After a story on how that came about u couldn't help but like this guy.  Worked with Roger when he joined the Env Protection Branch in Alberta and I was his counterpart in Toronto. So many stories have been told so that will be my solace in his passing.  To his family, deeply sorry u have lost ur rock, he was one of a kind and he will be missed.     
Mark Pomeroy (aka: two span)

Pretty much every memory I have of Roger, and all of the stories I heard about Roger, center around him doing things for other people.  He was incredibly patient and good-natured - no one else would repeatedly volunteer to man a firepit with 50+ elementary-ages children and manage to keep a smile on their face the whole time, but Roger always did!  Every time I would meet up with Elaine and would ask about Roger, he was usually out helping a family member or a friend, and if he wasn't doing that it was because he had just returned from doing so!

Hearing the news about Roger was unbelievable initially, but when I realized it was, in fact, true, my heart was shattered.  I just can't fathom how someone so full of life could be gone from ours- it just doesn't make sense!

I can't imagine what your family is experiencing right now.  I know there isn't really anything that can soften the pain except time, but I hope the memories shared on here and during his Celebration of LIfe will affirm the impact he had on so many people's lives.

I feel blessed and honored to have known Roger. From the MY pitch, or gathering after, our numerous get togethers,  different celebrations including those at your home or running into Roger at sobeys, they all brought a smile to my face cause thats Roger. And following your wonderful vacations with his amazing sand castles. Roger you made this world a better place, thank you.

Nelson and Family- so terribly sorry to learn of your dad’s sudden passing! Our hearts are broken for you and your family. Lean on each other for strength during this time and keep your loving memories close.  You are all in our every thought! ♥️

We are sadden to hear about Roger’s passing. 
I have so many memories of Roger from watching him play football with Stewart. 

To visits  celebrating with him when he and Elaine were to be married, when  all of their babies were to arrive, when the family was moving out west.  

To know Roger was to know how much he was in love with being a husband and father.   With each of those wonderful events his smile got bigger and his dimples deeper!

To Elaine and the kids, I know that Roger “ will love you forever”

Janet Kowal

OBITUARY

Roger Alan Adkin

11 June, 1963 – 29 September, 2024

Hainstock's Funeral Home & Crematorium

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