Roger Dismore

Roger Dismore, 75, of Grand Prairie, TX, passed away on February 12th 2026. Born on September 9th, 1950 in Dayton, Ohio, he was a devoted husband to Cathy Dismore and a loving father to Karen Dismore Becker.

Roger received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in music education from the University of North Texas. While attending UNT, he played lead alto saxophone in the renowned One O'Clock Lab Band for two years, performing on the Grammy-nominated albums Lab '75 and Lab '76.

He spent 38 years teaching at Cedar Valley College in Lancaster, where he was known for his teaching and leadership style and served as the Music Coordinator. He directed and played in the Lab Band and participated in many wonderful faculty concerts along the way. Roger was honored with CVC's Excellence in Teaching award in 1983, selected from among all full-time faculty, and received the 2008-2009 Minnie Stevens Piper Professor award for superior teaching at the college level. Upon retirement from the campus, he was awarded the title of Program Coordinator Emeritus.

Roger played professionally in the DFW area for 50 years after college. He was contracted to play the upcoming production of "Hairspray" at Casa Mañana as Reed 1 opening on Feb. 27.

His professional performance highlights include road tours and casual gigs with Doc Severinsen, Ben Folds, The Pointer Sisters, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Wayne Brady, James Taylor, Ray Charles, Trisha Yearwood, Natalie Cole, Lou Rawls, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Linda Ronstadt, Three Dog Night, Carol Burnett, Michael Bolton, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Harry Connick Jr., Aretha Franklin, Bernadette Peters, Lola Falana, Crystal Gayle, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Glen Campbell, Marilynn McCoo, Ben Vereen, Tommy Tune, Dionne Warwick, Bob Hope, Leslie Uggams, Little Anthony, The Spinners, Dianne Carroll, Joel Grey, Wayne Newton, The Fifth Dimension, Manhattan Transfer, Tom Jones, Johnny Mathis, Liza Minnelli, Engelbert Humperdink, Steve Lawrence, and Eydie Gorme, Peter Nero, Melissa Manchester, Betty Buckley, Sandi Patty, Trini Lopez, and Andra Day.

Roger performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Pops Concerts; the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Pops Concerts; the pit orchestra at Casa Mañana Theatre; the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet Orchestra; the Dallas Summer Musicals pit orchestra; in the big band performances with the Dallas Jazz Orchestra; with Pete Peterson and the Collective Jazz Orchestra; the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra; the Les Englart Orchestra; the Glen Miller Orchestra with Tex Beneke; the Ice Capades Orchestra; the Miss Texas Pageant Orchestra; the Fort Worth Rodeo Orchestra; and in the Southern Palace Orchestra at Six Flags Over Texas.

Roger was a man of many talents. While music was always at his center, he was also an incredible woodworker, building beautiful pieces of furniture, and could fix almost anything. He built a business from the ground up with his handcrafted, wood-turned pens. Dismore Woodworks, later known as pendesigns.com, served as his online pen business, where he sold many beautiful pieces.

Roger enjoyed golf, fishing, trips to the casinos, playing chess with the grandkids, and personalizing just about anything for everyone with his laser engraver. He was a wonderful friend to the people in his music, golf, and fishing circles, and was a proud member of the handbell choir at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church, lending a hand any time the piece called for saxophone, flute, or clarinet.

Though Roger never liked being the center of attention, he was a man of incredible wisdom, gentleness, kindness, and generosity. He was known for his fatherly love, for always wanting to celebrate others' achievements, and for having a wonderful sense of humor. His love for music was shared with his wife, daughter, and grandsons, leaving a mark that will never fade.

He is survived by his wife Cathy Dismore; his daughter Karen Dismore Becker; his son-in-law Brian Becker; his grandsons, Brett and Keaton; as well as extended family and many friends who will miss him dearly.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday February 28th at 10:00 AM at Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the charity of your choosing or to one listed below that best reflects the connection you shared with Roger.

•UNT School of Music -

https://music.unt.edu/giving/support.html

Contact Andrew N. Bailey, JD at 940-565-3682 or andrew.bailey@unt.edu for additional information on creating a memorial gift at UNT.

•Shepherd of Life Lutheran Church

•American Heart Association

We find comfort in knowing that Roger's legacy lives on through the lessons he taught us, the love he shared, and the memories we will cherish forever.