Roland Glendale "Ron" Block

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 6, 2007, at 10 a.m. at Mueller's Chapel of the Falls in Kennewick, WA, for Roland Block, age 81, of Liberty Lake, WA, formerly of Kennewick, WA. He passed away peacefully December 22, 2006, in Liberty Lake.

Roland was born April 20, 1925, in Verdigre, Nebraska, to Willie and Josephine Block. He graduated from Verdigre High School in 1942. He served his country in WWII in the U.S. Navy from April 1943 through May 1946, with 20 months overseas in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. After the war, he graduated from Washington State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in June 1953.

In June 1953, he married Ella Maureen Small, also a WSU graduate. They had two children, Karen and Rance.

Roland worked over 39 years for the Boeing Company in Seattle, in a variety of business management assignments in manufacturing and engineering. He worked on a wide variety of programs during his career, but most notable was the Minuteman Missile Program. He became noted for his ability to resolve programmatic problems and was asked on several occasions to consult on troubled programs.

Roland was married to Louise Langworthy Wedin in Coeur d'Alene, ID, in May, 1995.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ella; his parents Willie and Josephine; sisters Marjo Cooper and Marguerite Rosson.

He is survived by wife, Louise Block of Liberty Lake; son Rance (Alison) Block of Liberty Lake; daughter Karen (Mike) Faler, of Black Diamond, WA; granddaughters Natalie and Samantha Block of Liberty Lake; sisters LaVonne (Austin) Anderson of Kennewick, WA; and Marilyn (John) Jamieson of Yakima, WA; brothers Roger (Gerry) Block of Merced, CA; Rodney (Tami) Block of Richland, WA; and Richard Block of Antioch, CA; stepson Mark (Stephanie) Wedin of Gridley, CA; stepdaughter Lisa (Roger) Van De Hey, of Gridley, CA; and step-grandchildren Colby, Taylor, Grayson and Lily Wedin of Gredley; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

For many years Roland enjoyed bowling, golf, square dancing, berry-picking, hunting, fishing, clam digging and annual family reunions at Pacific beaches. He loved gardening, cooking, especially fish and game; spending time athis cabin in the Blue Mountains; country music, western movies and playing pinochle. Hewas a lifetime member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and a member of Theta Xi Fraternity at Washington State University.

He was admired for accomplishments in his career at Boeing and his courage through a long illness.

Roland will always be loved and remembered for his warm, quiet humor; his acts of generosity and kindness towards the members of his family and his delight in large family gatherings.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Roland Block Memorial, P.O. Box 8249, Missoula, Montana 59807 or The National Parkinson's Foundation, Director of Development; 1501 NW 9th Ave., Miami, FL 33136-1494.