John A. Roe
1937 - 2001
John Roe was my best friend. That statement is unequivocal. Period.
We spent over a thousand Saturday afternoons in his garage on Mayfair Avenue discussing how to fix what’s wrong with the world. Unfortunately we were successful with neither eradicating terrorism nor finding a cure for cancer.
My wife, Marcia, and I have always felt that his family - wife, children, grandchildren, sister, nieces, and in-laws, were an extension of our own.
Known affectionately as "J.R." he had many friends, and I am proud to have been one of them. Well respected as a first class engineer, he approached everything with engineering insight and precision: whether it was helping his children with their college physics projects, planning a vacation, or pursuing the art of brewing fine beers.
We always agreed that California was a place we would rather not be, and we left that state for good within 24 hours of each other. Although we took separate paths, we stayed in contact via the miracle of email. Our Saturday confabs continued in a "virtual garage."
The garage door that was always open to everyone is closed now. I shall miss it dearly. At his request, the pole barn on Pere Marquette will remain open and his dear wife Denise will keep a beer supply in the refrigerator there. To those of you who loved and admired him, stop by and share a cold drink with his spirit.
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