Harold W. Roeth

Roeth, Harold W. SLINGERLANDS Harold W. Roeth, 78, died surrounded by family on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at his home in Slingerlands after a battle with cancer. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the son of Harold Roeth and Gladys Nickerson Roeth. While Harold was in the U.S. Army stationed in Europe, he met Monique, his loving wife of 50 years. Together, they were longtime residents of La Bonne Terre in Westerlo, N.Y. where they raised two sons and a daughter, Jacques, Neil and Janine. Harold was inquisitive and energetic. As a youth, he initiated ventures including paper routes and photography businesses. He was a master craftsman with a variety of skills from woodworking to all aspects of home remodeling. Many will remember Harold's passion for trains and model railroads. He also loved MGs, restoring two in his lifetime and serving as editor of the national MGA magazine for 13 years. Harold valued humanitarianism, from recording the March on Washington, the belief that all should have access to an affordable college level education, serving on the Westerlo planning board, and continuing in retirement through Meals On Wheels and Habitat For Humanity. Harold was co-founder and manager of WYSO FM radio station at Antioch College and program manager at WRVR at Riverside Church in New York City when it won the Peabody Award for its Civil Rights programs. As director of the University of the Air at SUNY, Harold developed a state-wide program to promote distance education through broadcast of college courses on television and radio, a precursor to SUNY Empire State College where Harold was director of Learning Resources Information Center. In addition to his wife and children, Harold is survived by his grandchildren, Gregory Roeth, son of Jacques and Maureen Roeth; Alison and Liam Roeth, children of Neil and Cynthia Roeth; and Simone and Roger Hooker, children of Janine Roeth and Henry Hooker; and two sisters, Janice Roeth O'Donohue (husband John) and Muriel Roeth. Per Harold's wishes, there was a family-only service, with a celebration of his life expected the last weekend of June. Contributions in his name may be made to Habitat for Humanity (http://www.habitat.org/) or Community Hospice of Albany (http: //www.communityhospice.org), 445 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205-3809.