Posted by Heidi Gburski on August 8, 2012:

Roger William Obermeier Born October 31, 1936 Died June 19th 2012 Roger attended Saint Lawrence and Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Schools. He went to the seminary right after 8th grade for 6 months. He graduated from Assumption High School the first graduating class of 1955. He attended Marquette University for 1 year and then was appointed to West Point Academy where he graduated in 1961. He dedicated his life to the military. He spent 23 years in the military and had hardship tours: 5 years in Germany and 2 years in Vietnam and 1 year in Korea. We lived in South Dakota and Roger taught ROTC there, he was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington state, Fort Sill in Oklahoma and Fort Hood in Texas. He retired in 1984 at Fort Hood in Texas and we moved to Arizona to be closer to family. His heart was still with the military. He was an engineer and he had a job offer with an engineering company but took a job as a officer training Corp, JROTC instructor in Tempe, Arizona from 1994-2007. He dedicated himself to teaching and to the students. He started with 88 cadets and ended up with 250 cadets. When he was so sick laying in that hospital bed he told me that and that brought a smile to his face. He took his rifle team to nationals one year and they flew to the east coast. He promoted careers to his students through the military academies. After a hard days work at Marcus De Niza High School, you could find Roger and Sergeant Tinsley (best friend) at the golf course. Roger said to Sergeant Tinsley let's go get a grip on it at the golf course. So they would go. After retirement, Roger enjoyed driving the school bus so the students could go to their sporting activities after school. He would stay and watch whatever sport there was and then drive the students back to school. He played golf almost every day with Jack and then they would go to thebagel shop to talk in Arizona. When he was in Wisconsin, he would golf with Romie Obermeier (his brother) and Frank Lela (best friend) everyday and then go to McDonalds to talk . He was a Patriotic Education Leader for Apache Trail Chapter of Military Order of World Wars in Mesa, Arizona and the entire East Valley . The annual JROTC cadet of the year program for the East Valley will be a lasting memorial to his endeavors. Roger was a principal organizer of the Chapter's Armed Forces Career Officers Day in which provided information to thousands of Junior ROTC cadets on career opportunities as commissioned officers. There is also going to be a memorial golf tournament in his honor to raise money for Assumption High School in Wisconsin Rapids on July 15th every year. Romie and Frank are the people that are responsible for bringing a lot of Roger's friends to see him before he passed away through this golf tournament and are going to continue to do this yearly. Roger married Claudia Reinarz May 25, 1968 who was his devoted wife and had twin girls who were born May 5, 1969. He is survived by wife Claudia, Daughter Heidi (Chris) Gburski, Grandson Eric de winter Gburski, Daughter Lori (Dan) Huber, Grandsons Alex and Michael Huber. Brothers: Richard (Priscella) from Waupaca, Wisconsin, Romie (Theresa) Obermeier Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Sisters, Donna (John) Demski Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Joan (Kenneth) Gebert, Mary ( David)Knopaci Plover, Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his parents Bill and Genevieve Obermeier. Roger Obermeier you will be missed but never forgotten. Thank you for helping us out with everything and every life that you have touched with your gentle soul.

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