Roland Vazquez

VAZQUEZ
Roland, 86, of Paramus, formerly of Jackson Heights, NY, passed away at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ in the early morning hours of April 6, 2013. He is survived by two children, Yolanda (California) and Roland Jr. (Iowa; married to Magdalena), as well as his sister, Jeri Harrisberger (Texas). He was predeceased by his wife Viola (nee Crucil), who passed away six months ago.
Roland was born in Oakland, CA to Sol and Anna (nee Hernandez) Vazquez on March 30, 1927. His mother worked hard and pinched pennies so that he and his sister could take dance classes as children. After a tour of duty in the Navy during World War II, Roland continued to study ballet under the GI Bill. He danced for the San Francisco Ballet before heading east to try his luck in New York City. He danced in a number of venues there, including with the Metropolitan Opera, where he was to meet and dance with the love of his life, Viola. He partnered leading ballerinas of the day, including Alicia Markova and Alexandra Danilova. His most longstanding professional attachment, however, was with the New York City Ballet. Under the tutelage of George Balanchine, he would dance as a soloist for the company, and later serve as a stage manager and stagehand, as well as being in charge of the ordering and cataloguing of ballet shoes. Throughout his career in New York, he was a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Modest about his accomplishments, he was a gentle man with a quick sense of humor and a big heart. He loved, was loved, and is greatly missed.
Funeral Mass Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 12 PM at Our Lady of the Visitation RC Church, 234 N. Farview Ave., Paramus, NJ. Funeral arrangements under the care of the Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 113 South Farview Avenue, Paramus.
For further information www.vanderplaat.com