Obituary: John D. Roeser

John D. Roeser Provided Photo November 22, 1942 – July 7, 2023 It is with deep sorrow that the family of John D. Roeser announces his passing on July 7, 2023, after a brief illness. John will be sorely missed by his family and many friends. His life was full of adventurous travel, sports, alpine skiing, sailing, and tennis, and he took great joy in never living life on the sidelines.

A man of many talents, John will be remembered for his creativity, strong work ethic, quick wit, humor, strong convictions, and kindness. He had an unwavering love for his country and its history. John was born to Neil and Julia Roeser in Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 22, 1942. Throughout the 1960s he attended Creston High School, Grand Rapids Junior College, and Southern Illinois University.

He worked for General Motors Fisher Body for approximately 12 years. John learned to alpine ski at an early age and in the 1970s joined the National Ski Patrol. He patrolled Boyne Mountain for many years and became Assistant Director of Boyne Mountain before moving to Vail, Colorado, to live and work in the ski industry.

In Vail, John worked at Vail Ski Rentals and Curtain Hill Sports before opening his own shop, John’s Vail Skier Services, in Lionshead. He built a wonderful customer base and loved running the shop and developing long-lasting friendships with other shop owners in Lionshead. He was especially good friends with Chris Lai, who managed the shop for several years.

John sold the ski shop in 1998. Sail trips and scuba diving in the British Virgin Islands were among John’s other passions. He was a seasoned captain on the water, having sailed the Great Lakes and the B.V.I. for many years. He met his wife, Vicky, in 1996, and they married in 1998. Together they enjoyed many adventures traveling, sailing, and moving to Prescott, Arizona, where they spent four years refurbishing a Territorial home and horse property on five acres.

John and Vicky acquired horses for pleasure riding and loved navigating the beautiful country in and around their property. Returning to the Valley in 2003 to be near family and a young grandson, they built a beautiful home in Cotton Ranch and resided there until 2013 when they purchased an R.V. and spent four months exploring the east coast from Florida up to Nova Scotia.

Settling with Vicky in Ft. Myers, Florida, John played league tennis and was on the courts 3 to 4 times a week honing his game…far removed from the cold winters and snow shoveling. Up until John’s passing, he enjoyed everything life had to offer. John is survived by his wife, Vicky, of Ft. Myers, Florida; brother William Roeser (Marcia) of Portland, Michigan; daughters, Beth Roeser of Flagstaff, Arizona, and Dina Roeser of Grand Rapids, Michigan; nephew Robbie Roeser (Nadine) of Los Angeles, California; niece Julia Roeser Klepitsch (Eric) of Chicago, Illinois; cousins, Pat Holtzer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Frank Roeser (Mary) of Spring Hill, Florida, and Mary Kay Scripps of Muskegon, Michigan; step daughter Amy J.

Hermes, and step grandson Davis Hermes of Edwards, Colorado. John David Roeser, you will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts.