Robert Roser

Robert "Bob" Roser

Robert "Bob" Roser, an award-winning Nevada Civil Air Patrol (CAP) pilot for three decades and longtime state agency chief investigator, has died in Carson City, where he lived for nearly 53 years. He was 79.

During his CAP tenure, Roser served as a Nevada wing commander and vice commander for the Pacific Region. He led 25 U.S. Air Force-assigned emergency missions, as well as search and rescue and disaster relief operations. The CAP's Nevada Wing, under Roser's command from 1989-1994, held a No. 1 rating for the Pacific Region. Wing activities included aerospace education and cadet leadership training.

After serving as wing commander, Roser was appointed director of Counter Drug Operations for the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Pacific Region, organizing drug interdiction missions until 2003, when he was promoted to CAP Pacific Region vice commander. He also was involved in search and rescue for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at Lake Tahoe for many years and with the Carson City Sheriff's Aero Squadron until his death.

Roser served as a U.S. Navy corpsman during the Korean War. He was assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, NC., where he met his wife, Laura "Polly" Roser, a Marine. They were married in 1954, in New Bern, NC.

The couple moved to California, where Roser earned a bachelor's degree at Fresno State College, then began a 19-year business career with an international investigative firm now known as Equifax. He worked for the company in Sacramento and Redding, Calif., and in 1962 transferred to Carson City, where the Rosers raised their three sons.

Roser's flying pursuits, conducted in addition to his fulltime business and state careers, began in 1970 when he entered a flight training program for armed services veterans. In 1972, he joined the Carson City Squadron of the U.S. Air Force's Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol and served as public affairs officer, standardization and evaluation officer, chief check pilot and director of operations.

Several years later Roser also operated Sage Air private flight school and air charter service in Carson City. In 1981, he transferred to the CAP's Nevada Wing headquarters in Reno, where over the years he was recognized for his achievements including Exceptional Service, Meritorious Service and Leadership, Commander's Commendation and Unit Citation, and received ribbons for Service, Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief and Recruiting.

In 1977, Roser left Equifax to accept an appointment as chief investigator for the Nevada Dairy Commission, where he served for 22 years, until retiring in 1999. During those years until 1998, his wife, Laura, was chief investigator for the state Office of the Labor Commissioner.

In his private life, Roser was a loving and devoted husband and father, known for his sense of humor, dry wit and modest, gentlemanly manner. This year, he and Laura celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Roser was born in Portland, Ind. His father was a machinist for a farm equipment manufacturing company and his mother was a nurse. While in high school at nearby Fort Recovery, Ohio, Roser played forward for the basketball team when it won the state championship.

Roser passed into eternal life Oct. 4 at Carson Tahoe Hospital after suffering congestive heart failure. Surviving are his wife, Laura "Polly" Roser, sons Michael (Lisa) Roser of Tucson, Ariz., John (Gloria) Roser of St. Louis, and Randy (Shawnna) Roser of Carson City; six grandchildren: Landon (Julie) Roser, Tyson Roser, Brady (Charlotte) Roser and Mariya Roser of Carson City, and Mitch Roser and Dana Mae Roser of Tucson.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, Oct. 17, 2014, at 3 p.m. at The Bridge church, 901 North Stewart Street, Carson City, NV 89701. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in Bob Roser's name to The Bridge church.