Roger W. Hanley

1927 - 2021

Pittsfield - Mr. Roger W. Hanley, age 94, of 45 Quirico Drive, Pittsfield passed away on September 5, 2021.

Roger was the son of the late Frances Hanley and Charles C. Bryer. He graduated from Danvers High School in 1945 and entered the US Navy upon graduation and served as a pharmacist mate during WWII. Roger attended Northeastern University evenings while working at the George W. Pickering Company in Salem, and received a BBA with a major in law and business in 1956. He continued his education at the University of Massachusetts and received his MBA in 1966.

Roger and his wife Barbara recently celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary on September 4th. They were married in Danvers, Massachusetts and lived in that area until moving to Blanchester, Ohio where Roger started working for the General Electric Company in the Large Jet Engine Department in Evendale, Ohio and was later reassigned to GE Ordinance in Pittsfield. He was the president of the local Junior Chamber of Commerce in Blanchester and took pride in the achievements he was able to accomplish before his transfer to Pittsfield in 1962. His last assignment with GE was as an application engineer working on contracts for fire control systems for the U.S. Navy.

He was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield (60 years) and served as a Sunday school teacher, trustee, van service, and was part of the video outreach program that broadcasts the church service on cable TV. Roger enjoyed golf, photography, ballroom dancing, camping, and he was a great handyman (restoring a historic home in Danvers). Camping was one of his favorite adventures; besides many smaller camping trips the family made two trips across the country to California and a third trip for his daughter's wedding in California.

Roger leaves behind his wife Barbara E. (Wright) Hanley; his children, Roger T. Hanley and Cynthia Hanley of MA, Virginia Ruark and her husband Gregory of NC, Beverlee Wilkes and her husband Richard of SC, two grandchildren, Casey Ruark-Seward and Garrett Ruark; one great grandchild, Ronan Ruark and his nieces Nancy Milner and Patty Cordle living in California.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister June and her husband Benjamin Kelly of CA, their son John Kelly of CA and Anna Rhoades of MA.

SERVICES: Friends are invited to join with the Hanley family on SATURDAY, September 11th beginning at 10AM at the Devanny-Condron Funeral Home. A funeral home service will begin at 11AM with burial and military honors to follow at Pittsfield Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to "HospiceCare in the Berkshires" and mailed to the funeral home at 40 Maplewood Ave. Pittsfield, MA 01201