Obituary of Roger Blakeman

Roger William Blakeman December 22, 1936-October 23, 2012 Roger William Blakeman was born December 22, 1936 in Norfolk, Nebraska, to Frank Clair and LaVona Rouse Blakeman. He passed away peacefully on October 23, 2012, at Havasu Regional Medical Center, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Survived by sons Roger II, and grandson, Roger III; Brad and wife, Joanna, and granddaughter, Macie; Scott; Darrin and wife, Hee (Kay), and granddaughters, Keira and Deanne; and daughter, Rachel. Also Maureen Reader, mother of the children; George and wife, Ann, brother and sister-in-law; and Guiding Light for six years, Celeste Dowell. Roger served our country from 1955-1957 with basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, continuing in Biloxi, Mississippi. Roger attended Norfolk, Nebraska, public schools and later the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Wayne State Teachers College, and eventually graduating from Chapman University in California. Roger worked in the aerospace industry for Martin Marietta Company, now known as Lockheed Martin. As an aerospace executive, Roger worked as an engineer and project manager insuring successful and timely execution of many project facets, including equipment design, construction and launching of numerous launch vehicles, satellites and ground launch support facilities. Roger spent his entire career with Martin Marietta, working in several locations in the southwest while raising his family, living in Denver, Santa Maria and Los Angeles. Roger finished his exciting career in the Los Angeles area in 1993 after 35 years, when he decided to retire rather than accepting a move to the Washington D.C. area, where his entire staff was being moved. Much of Roger's career was spent supporting national security programs, which prevented him from sharing much of what he did. In retirement, he continued his life-long passion for restoring old cars. This passion began in high school when he restored his first car, a 1950 Ford. After the 1950 Ford restoration, he did several American-made oldies and, upon moving to Lake Havasu City in 2001, he began his pursuit of buying, rebuilding and selling old Porsches. All people that he met were met with his infectious grin and a myriad of questions because he was interested in new things and learning about them through others' eyes. He will be missed by all those who knew him! Viewing will be held on Friday, October 26, 2012, at 3 p.m. at Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home, 21 Riviera Blvd., with services following at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to Roger's family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory.