Roger Ailman

Roger Christian Ailman, 80, of Youngsville, North Carolina passed away peacefully in his home on March 8, 2023 , with his family by his side.

Roger was born on April 26, 1942 to Fred and Mildred Ailman in the Bronx (New York). After graduating from Baldwin High School he went on to serve his country as a Morse Code Intercept Operator (Ditty Bopper) in the United States Air Force for four years before continuing his career at Long Island Lighting Company.

Roger met the love of his life, Susan Romano, in January of 1967 and proposed in May of the same year. Roger and Susan were married in September of 1969 . In 1971 they moved from New York to Greeley, Colorado and went on to have two daughters, Kristie (1972) and Julie (1975). While Roger and Susan were raising their children, Roger went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in Marketing (1975) and Master of Science in Business Administration (1977) from the University of Northern Colorado.

Roger worked in Human Resources for Public Service Company for 27 years before retiring. He then began a second career with Towers Perrin who ultimately transferred him to Chesapeake, Virginia in 2000. After retiring from Towers Perrin, Roger and Susan moved to North Carolina in 2007 to enjoy retirement closer to family. During his retirement, he volunteered for Carolina Tiger Rescue and very much enjoyed giving tours and sharing stories about each of the animals.

Roger's greatest contribution in life was his love and dedication to his family. His daughters claim him as their hero. Some of the fondest memories they have of him are when he'd play guitar and they (and later on their children) would sing with him.

Roger had the gift of music and always said he felt closest to the Lord when he was singing. He sang in church choirs in Colorado, Virginia and North Carolina, but the highlight of his singing career was when he went on a choir mission trip to Europe and sang in historic cathedrals. He and the choir touched the lives of so many who remembered the classic hymns that had their origins in those very cities.

Roger was a captivating storyteller and his family loved hearing stories of his younger years. Especially the stories about the chicken prank, the adventures he had while stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, the moose hunting incident, and the story of how he fell in love at first sight when he met Susan. He had a wonderful sense of humor and gave the gift of laughter to everyone around him.

Roger/Dad/Grampy is survived by his devoted wife Susan, adoring daughters Kristie (Eric) Breuer and Julie (Shane) Wiswell, six grandchildren; Brittany (Ben) Black, Christian Breuer, Kole Breuer, Aria Wiswell, Alisa Breuer and Kyrie Wiswell, along with many other beloved friends and family. He was predeceased by his parents Fred and Mildred Ailman, as well as his sister Nancy Lou Keer.

A celebration of life will be held at Summitview Community Church in Evans, CO on June 3, 2023 at 2 pm. Interment will be at Cheyenne National Cemetery on June 5, 2023 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sleep in Heavenly Peace at shpbeds.org.