Roger W. Bleier

Roger W. Bleier, 72, died on December 19, 2023 at home in Sitka after a long illness with Prostate Cancer.

Roger was born in Rochester, N.Y. to Joseph and Mary McBride Bleier and two other siblings, Ron and Karen. In 1965, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Roger enjoyed hiking the mountains and canyons of Arizona, California, and Utah with friends plus skiing in the winter. He worked for the US Forest Service for several years in Arizona.

He was a man of many interests, projects, and intellect whether it was jobs, education, formal or self taught.

The adventures continued after marrying Nancy Jo (Wright Hogin) Bleier Flagstaff, AZ in 1987. Buying an older 30' Rawson sailboat in Dana Point, CA they sailed north. They stopped in Friday Harbor, WA for 3 years where Roger dove cleaning boats and learned locksmithing. In 1991, the sailboat moved on to Alaska. In 1992 Nancy Jo got a job at SEARHC, Sitka. Roger continued classes at University of Alaska Southeast, getting certified in Water Maintenance and earning an Associate Degree; he worked at Sheldon Jackson pool, UAS computer lab and SAFV (Sitkans Against Family Violence) maintenance.

Roger enjoyed riding motorcycles in Arizona. This continued in Sitka.

Especially the excitement of traveling with Nancy Jo in the Ural (motorcycle/sidecar) in Sitka, the Yukon, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

In the last few years he taught himself to read music. He learned to play harmonicas, guitars, banjo, fiddle, ukulele, and saxophones.

Those deceased are his parents, Joe and Mary Bleier, brother Ron Bleier, and sister, Karen Bleier. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Jo Bleier and her siblings, Chris Wright, Ann/John Sudderth, Fred/Susan Wright, and their families. Plus cousins from the McBride and Bleier families.

Memorial donations can be made to: https://www.safv.org/donate (Sitkans Against Family Violence) and https://www.braveheartvolunteers.o (Brave Heart Volunteers)

A celebration of Roger's life will happen later.