Roger Blair McClellan

Date of Death: July 9, 2012

Roger Blair McClellan, 58, passed away at 7:10 p.m. Monday, July 9, 2012, at his residence surrounded by his family. He was born in Greencastle, on September 15, 1953. Roger grew up on a small farm in Decatur County and discovered a love for the natural world and its creatures that would guide him throughout his life. He graduated from South Decatur High School in Westport in 1971 and later attained his Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University in 1975.
On December 20, 1985, Roger married his loving wife and best friend, Lora (“Lolly”) with whom he shared his dreams and adventures creating memories to last a lifetime. Roger loved playing guitar for her, singing together and sharing their music, and spending time in the great outdoors. Roger is also survived by his sister Joyce Click and her family Steve, Nathan, and Tessa, and Roger?s brother Mark McClellan and his family Juanita, Erin, and Martin. Roger will also be dearly missed by his step-son, Steve Rider and his family Jennifer, Brice and Dylan; and his step-daughter Melissa Taylor and her family David, Gavin, Raife, and Meric.
In addition to family, Roger has been blessed to have many wonderful friends in his life. He thoroughly enjoyed providing a comfortable place for friends and family to gather and visit and both Roger and Lolly treasured having their friends and family near.
Roger had many hobbies and was quite skilled in working outdoors, golfing, canoeing, hunting, fishing, hiking, and in playing cards, pool and ping pong. We learned much from him in these areas and also in business.
Roger began his career in earnest in 1977 at CTS Corporation. He worked there in a variety of leadership roles in Arkansas, Illinois, California and Indiana; ultimately becoming their President and General Manager for the Resistor Networks SBU division. Aside from a 2 year stint at Wholesale Electric Service Company in 1990-1992, Roger worked at CTS until he left in 1993 to work at and eventually purchase and restructure Lafayette Instrument Company. There he served as the President and General Manager alongside his partners, Chris Fausett and Terry Echard. The business has had the honor of being the preeminent supplier of polygraph throughout the world and provides specialty products to the department of defense counter terrorist units. The company also provides numerous products to the life science community for research on central nervous system disorders. With the help of his partners and employees, Roger considers the resurrection of Lafayette Instrument Company to be his greatest professional achievement.
Roger served on several local non-profit and business related committees and boards with a special involvement in Pheasants Forever. He worked tirelessly to provide wildlife habitat and felt that was the best gift he could give to his community.
Roger was a member of the Scardinia Baptist Church for most of his life but more recently became a member of the Fowler First Presbyterian Church.
Roger, we will miss your smile, your wit, your kind heart, and your incredible mind. You?ll always be with us.
Friends will be received from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday July 13, 2012, at Soller-Baker Lafayette Chapel 400 Twyckenham Blvd Lafayette, IN 47909 and also 1 hour prior to the Funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 14, at Fowler First Presbyterian Church 501 E. 6th St, Fowler, IN 47944; the Rev. Ann Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Fowler Cemetery.
Memorial donations can be made to Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, Inc. at www.abc2.org.

Soller-Baker Funeral Homes, Inc.

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I am so sorry for your loss. may god help you thru this difficult time.-dianne decker robinson

Greg & I keep you in our prayers... Roger was one of a kind and he&ll be missed. We&ll hold him in our heart, and keep you in our thoughts...

I worked with Roger at CTS starting back in 1979. He was really well liked by the people he worked with, and his dry humor and quick wit was appreciated by many. People in Berne really enjoyed the fact that he ""came back"" for a while as General Manager many years later. I certainly learned lots from Roger, considered him a friend as well as a work colleague, and enjoyed the times we did work together. I&ll always remember the way he kept touch and opened his home to friends, and his love for nature. What a great guy. We will miss him, and you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Tim Hartigan

I worked beside and for Roger at CTS in Berne for several years. I always admired Roger&s tenacity, hard work and ambitions. He was a great friend and will be missed dearly. I share in his loss with the family and pray for his soul and strength to the family to bear this loss.

Sharukh

Dear Lolly,
I am so saddened for you on the loss of your husband, Roger. My husband lost his father on Monday and last night as I was clipping his obituary from the paper I realized that it was your Roger next to his. I am so very sorry. I just met him that one time and it was a brief exchange but I immediatly liked him and remember thinking what an interesting man. From what what you&ve told me and from what I read, your time together was happy and blessed in so many ways. I hope and pray those cherished memories can help carry you through this most difficult time. You and your family will be in my prayers. Love you.
Sincerely,
Sherma

Peace of mind is a call away. We’re here when you need us most.

In the most fragile of times, we find our greatest strength.

Tim and I are wishing you comfort, now and thoughout the days to come.

Dear Lolly,
We send our deepest condolences about Roger. In reading the obituary, I had to smile when thinking about how your beautiful songs on the porch would rally us over to join in. He was such the neighborhood protector and gave us so much valuable counsel through the years. If there is anything we can to help you in any way, please contact us. I know all the wonderful memories you have will sustain you through this difficult time. We feel privileged to have known such a lovely man.
Love,
Kathy, Craig Kristen and Troy Michael

I am so sorry for your lost, Roger was a great man. He will be missed by many people.

I had the pleasure of meeting Roger at the Senior Center. He was on the Board of Directors and I was manager. He was such a caring person, for the seniors and the staff. He was part of the best board we ever had there. They worked hard together, worked as a team and he wasn&t afraid of hard work. When we had a funraiser he was right there. I thank him and the other board members he worked with. They made our jobs easier and the Senior Center grew at that time.
Thank you Roger.

I will always treasure my childhood memories of Roger. We attended Jackson School together, grades 1-9, then on to South Decatur. I moved away our Sophmore year but still fondly remember the laughter Roger would cause. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.

Lolly, we were so sorry to hear about Roger. We both thought so much of him. Phil especially enjoyed knowing and working with Roger. They shared alot of good memories that Phil will treasure forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this sad time.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.