Ronald LeRoy Rognlien, 61, traveled the world through work
and service
Warrenton (Va.) resident had family and community ties to
Carroll County
Ronald LeRoy Rognlien, 61, a retired defense contractor and
world traveler with family ties to Westminster, died unexpectedly from a heart
attack at his home in Warrenton, Va., on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013.
Born in 1952 in Baraboo, Wis.; he was the son of the late
Stanley LeRoy Rognlien and the late Arlene Doris Jacobson Rognlien. His father
served on submarines in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific, then
worked throughout his career with Alcoa, the Aluminum Company of America.
As a result, the family lived all over America.
After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering
from Oregon State University, Mr. Rognlien followed in his father’s footsteps
and served for 32 years as a defense contractor with the intelligence community
-- a job that took him to some 68 countries over the years. His particular
field of expertise was computer science and communications.
Mr. Rognlien married Marian Babylon in 1982 at Grace
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Westminster.
After retirement, Mr. Rognlien continued serving others
through volunteer and mission service. He again traveled the world, this time
for recreation, and spent time in Westminster with his extended family. He
enjoyed fishing in Alaska, playing math and word games like Sudoku, and drove
the Alcan Highway and across the United States several times.
In addition to his training as an electrical engineer, he
was handy with tools and home improvement projects. He was a veteran of many
mission trips with Taylorsville
United Methodist Church, helping those who had suffered from natural
disasters. Those mission included trips to Biloxi, Miss. after Hurricane
Katrina and New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy.
He volunteered at numerous Carroll County civic and
community functions. He was handy with a chainsaw and was among the
Taylorsville “wood chuckers,” who cut firewood for the needy. He was a serious
student of golf.
The family will receive friends at the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home, at 91
Willis Street, Westminster, MD on Monday, December 23, from 7 to 9 p.m.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 28 at
11 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church,
6194 Dumfries Rd., Warrenton, VA; with visitation starting at 10 a.m. The Rev. Michael Church will officiate with a
eulogy by The Rev. Sarah Dorrance.
Inurnment will be private at the family mausoleum at Krider’s
Cemetery, Westminster, Md.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to People
Helping People, 34 Beckham Street, Warrenton, VA 20186.
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#KED #Westminster
