Roger played football for St. Josephs Collegiate Academy and was entered into their sports Hall of Fame. He then entered the Air Force as an enlisted man and was selected for OCS. He became an officer in 1961 and went into flight training. He flew spy flights. He left the military to work for Grumman Aerospace as a test pilot. He was chosen to fly the first flight of the EA-6B. He also flew the A-6, the F-14, and the EF-111. He spent a year at MCAS Cherry Point teaching the Marines the EA-6A and was made an honoree Marine. His love of the EA-6B gave him the opportunity to brief the Secretary of Defense and all the CINCs around the world. His bosses thought he was being wasted as a pilot and put him into business development where he remained rising to VP in several companies, ending his career with Northrop Grumman.
He is predeceased by his daughter, Lizabeth Merin Busch, he is survived by his spouse, Annette Ditta and his other children, Laura (Dana) Atkins, Lisa (Karl) Lawson, Stephanie (Andrew) Early, Sue (Steve) Demarest, and his son Roger (Marie). He is also survived by his two grandchildren Geoffrey (Christina) Atkins and Kristen (Jeff) McGuire and three great grandchildren Leah and Brody McGuire and Eva Atkins.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Woodlawn Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers the family invites you to make donations in his name to CSHospice.org.
