By the time Roger William Rochat was born November 20, 1940, Albert Rochat had piped water in from 50 feet from their Burbank, Washington, home (149 – St.) and divided the water utility/land office with cardboard to make living room, kitchen, and one bedroom. Al & Mary rented it for $15/month. Land wasn’t selling and the land office closed. When Roger’s sister, Marilyn Beth, was born October 25, 1939, there was a toilet but no water. Al & Mary bought a 20’ sq. Wilton luxurious purple with black tones rug for $15 (MR notes May 2005).

Roger cried the first year of his life. Life was difficult for Mary with this uncomfortable, perhaps, allergic baby. Ernie Storrer gave them a double oil barrel stove. It heated the huge office building quite well in spite of the high ceilings. They had no furniture until the summer of 1941, when Mary’s dad, George William Groth II, used the seat of an automobile and made a rocking loveseat in the living room. Now Mary could rock Roger.

Roger’s first summer was spent at Lime Lake. Daddy Al decided to join his sister, Elsie, and her husband Steward Coolin in Lime Lake to make white pine lumber. Al purchased a corner lot, house, and well for $300. In three months the Coolins went broke. Marilyn & Roger both had whooping cough and Mary was expecting Marilee. The lumber yard went broke and the Rochat’s moved to Spokane looking for work. Al worked for Carsten’s Meat Packing house for a month when Roger was one year old. A shop instructor job opened up at Medical Lake Correction School so Roger’s fourth home in one year was the castle on E. 623 Lake St. They lived on the top floor in the ballroom and rented the second floor to Carl Danielsen. Their rent was $15/mo. They had a garden in this city block surrounded by a brick wall. The wall to wall carpet helped with the cold. Mary packed Dutch oven picnics when they went looking for firewood. She washed 3 dozen diapers a day in her gasoline washer and mended their clothes on a treadle sewing machine. There was no refrigerator. Two-year-old Marilyn played in puddles while Roger was clean--but sick. Al biked to work for his 7am to 9pm shift.

January 26, 1942 Roger’s little sister, Marilee Jean, was born healthy and happy. There was 8’ of snow in that coldest January known to date so they enjoyed the barrel heater that Ernie Storrer installed. Diapers hung all around their living quarters to dry. (MR 1990-1991)

Marilee developed pyelitis with a 106 degree fever. Two-year-old Roger stayed with Bill, Carol, and seven –year-old Joyce Tanner. They had a crib in the bedroom. [phone conv. Bill Tanner & Joyce Tanner Bratton, 27 Jan 1996]

Spring 1942 Mary took Roger and Marilyn on the bus to say goodbye to her brother, Allen, who was going off to war. Marilee stayed with Colards. When Mary returned they had to move because the castle became a 13-room apt for army boys. Al moved his little family to Josephine’s House, a small cottage near the school at 614 Jefferson St., Medical Lake for $25/mo.

Al made a hobby “double horse” swing. Roger and Marilyn age 4 swung together. Roger watched the chickens and rabbits. Grandfather William Rochat came to live. He was a quiet, kindly 75 year-old man who helped with the rabbits and babies. Al and his father, William, worked at Geiger Air Force base. Geiger Field, WA (Redesignated Spokane IAP c. Aug 1960; Regular Air Force fighter-interceptor operations ended July 1963.) William was a janitor. Mary was pregnant with #4. Al was exempt from going to war because he had three children but he did do war-work at Fairchild Air Force Base, first as a carpenter, then in engine repair. He changed exhaust and intake valves. He was thrilled with $1.15/hr., twice what he was making as a teacher. [Fairchild Air Force Base is located 12 miles west of the city of Spokane, Washington adjacent to US Highway 2 and 3 miles north of Interstate 90. The base is at an elevation of 2,463 feet above sea level and covers approximately 4,300 acres of high plains characteristic of Eastern Washington. Fairchild originated as the Spokane Army Air Depot in 1942 and was turned over to the United States Air Force (Strategic Air Command) in 1947. From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater. In the summer of 1946, the base was transferred to the Strategic Air Command and assigned to the 15th Air Force. In November 1947, the 92nd and 98th Bomb Groups arrived. Both units flew the most advanced bomber of the day, the B-29 Superfortress. In January 1948, the base received the second of its three official names: Spokane Air Force Base.]

When Dorothy Esther was born October 25, 1944 Roger and Marilyn stayed with Bud & Dora McDole. Oliver & Helen Colard cared for Marilee. (MB phone Jan 12, 2004). Neighbors Ed & Myrtle Moss had four children of similar ages of the Rochat family. Al & Ed worked at the Air Base until the end of the war.

July 1945 the family moved to a “dream” house. The rock house built by prisoners of Spokane City sat on 20 rocky acres. They cared for 100 doe rabbits, 100 baby chicks, and 2 cows. They planted alfalfa for the cows. Roger was four when he started first grade that fall. He was the only first grader. Carrying their lunch boxes, he and Marilyn walked one mile to the one room red school. The following year Marilee joined them. Often Roger came home beaten by big boys. Al & Mary taught their children not to fight. Roger defended his two sisters with his lunch pail. Wind was ever present and often the children waded through snowdrifts. Roger finished each year’s work in a few months, then spent much of the year in reading books (ADR Memoirs). [MJM: 11 13 2020: I thought Roger started first grade at 5 yrs, not 4, and he turned 6 yrs in Nov. I didn't start the year after Roger, I was 2 years behind him even tho he is just 14 months older than me. If you subtract his birth year 1940 from graduation year 1958 you get he graduated at 18 in the spring and subtract 12yrs you get 6 after Nov and 5 when he started 1st grade. I thought he graduated at 17, but that was when he began his senior year.

Rich and I calculated it was 1 1/2 miles to school so it was a little more than 1 mile anyway. We didn't walk thru snowdrifts but to the leeward side of them. I started 1 st grade with a cast on my left arm. Did you ever go back to the farm? You know it isn't there anymore, right? They razed it and the little hill it sat on for planes flying over to land at Geiger (I think it was). ]

Roger and Marilyn milked on either side of Bossy, the cow. Roger learned how to skin rabbits with his dad. Five-year-old Roger piled bales of hay for a neighbor for $.35. At age eight, Roger milked the cow alone. Marilee was the expert ghost story teller as the children sat in the pile of spare tires. One fourth of July, Marilyn led the children out to a rock. She carefully lit her firecracker on the side of the rock to be out of the wind. However, the wind snatched the flame and grass ignited. Judy & John, Roger, Marilee, and Dorothy, and 2 kids who lived in the chicken house with their folks, were all watching. In no time the grass around the rock caught fire. The children tried to stamp it out with their shoes but couldn’t keep ahead of it. A neighbor rode a bike to tell the firemen. They came with gunny sacks. No water. Fire chief Ed Garner came from Cheney with his crew to put out the fire.

Faye, John, and Judy Lewis were foster children for 2 years. With a machete John accidentally cut off Roger’s right pointer finger. Roger ran away from home with John. When they returned they snuck in upstairs window. They swam in some body of water and Roger contracted a rash. Another time the hay chopper caught Roger’s finger. [11 13 2020 MJ:

Another thing was when you said Rog ran away with John. They just went to the back of our property (20 acres) where there was a small lake and went swimming without asking permission. You could almost walk across, altho it was large in our eyes. They told us afterward, so the rental girl and I went. When we got back we were so itchy we would see who could go longer without scratching. It was awful. We'd run down to her house and then back up to ours. (Now that was before we moved, so I was 5 or6, and the itching remains in my memory still. And that was before I could swim of course, and we walked way out, and then turned back when our feet didn't touch ) Rich would have something to say about how that lake was formed from the Missoula flood and the ground being scraped clean and holes formed.

So Roger had 3 finger episodes, the chicken chop, the haychop, and the John Lewis chop? Watch those fingers, Rog! I believe the Lord preserved him many a time.]

The older children remember Dad in anger slamming his plate on the table. There were disagreements between the parents as to where they should worship. (How often did we go to meeting?). Al thought that classical music was worldly. Mary enjoyed it. Before Al spanked Roger he would read Scripture. The parents demanded obedience and used a belt to spank. Al spanked Dorothy with a hose when she threw the scissors at Marilee and hit her above the eye. Dorothy thought it was unfair that Marilee was cutting out paper dolls with the best scissors.

Al & Mary worked desperately to provide for the family. Mary canned, sewed, and did chores. Sept. 2, 1945 the war was over and Al was out of a job. He took a temporary job at Roosevelt School R.D.1. He taught science in junior high until the regular teacher returned from the war. Then he did P.E. and sports for grades 4-8. In the morning he was at Libby School; in the afternoon Roosevelt School. After football season he quit because he couldn’t blow a whistle after his tooth was pulled.

Bob Baden helped him get a job at Deaconess Hospital. For a couple months Al supplied the cook with supplies from the basement and scrubbed the floor.

Stewart Coolin in Hamilton, MT, offered Al a job as a carpenter which he did for a few months until Stewart quit. The whole family moved to Hamilton and then back to the farm where Al was a union carpenter. He built forms for bridges and worked for contractors but in the winter, work was scarce.

Roger went with Paul Wilson and Geo W. Groth to California when he was 10. Perhaps the summer before we moved to Wallace? Dorothy remembers him leaving from the farm. He stayed with Grandpa Groth- and same place that Dorothy and Karen lived.

Dr. Paul Emmans and his sister, Elsie Coolin, urged Al to apply for a teaching job.

Mary Rochat in 1990 wrote: Six of us in our 1939 Plymouth started for Spokane, Coeur d’Alene and finally, Wallace, ID for lunch. We sat on the school house lawn for our rest stop while Al applied for work with Supt. Jones. Mr. Jones hired him on the spot to teach sixth grade as well as principalship of twelve teachers. This began a six year adventure with a mining community.

One of the students told Al of a house with 5 lots for sale on the last switchback up the mountain side. Al bought 305 Pearl St. for $1500. Mary spent two weeks scraping dog manure off the linoleum floor. In 2005 there are 20 teachers and 267 students in Grades 7-12. 75% graduate from high school.

In October 1949 Roger and Mom Mary moved most of their belongings, including a piano from Hayford, WA. [[MJ: We moved when I was in 2nd grade in the late fall - like school had been going on for a month or so. I graduated in 1960 in the spring.] Al taught six weeks before the family joined him. The children began school late: Marilyn in 5th with Mrs. Brislawn, Roger in 4th with Mrs. Pruitt, and Marilee in 2rd with Miss Kolokotrones. Wallace had only white children. Since there was no kindergarten, Dorothy stayed home and learned to sew and can and enjoyed records. Every noon the children climbed the one mile trail to their log home for homemade bread and soup. Pea soup was the favorite. Roger didn’t feel accepted by classmates as a friend. He had Mrs. Brislawn for 5th and in 6th grade was transferred into his father’s class. Mr. Rochat gave him 6 spats with a belt when Roger threw paper airplanes or spit wads when teacher was out of the room.

It wasn’t long until Marilyn and Roger had Spokesman-Review paper routes. They had to get up at four a.m. on a pitch-black winter morning and with the help of flashlights wade and slide through the deep snow to some forty hillside homes from 5-7am. (ADR memoirs) Roger was little but determined. There wasn’t time for athletics at school. The paper routes provided exercise. Keeping the children busy home based effectively kept them separate from the world. However, Roger and Marilyn saw much of the world in the “red light” district of Wallace. Roger liked the ladies that tipped liberally. One time Roger and Marilyn heard popping sounds. They thought it was fireworks. Roger said, “Later in the day we learned that police had been shooting someone holed up in hardware store a few blocks from where we had picked up our papers and started our paper route.”

The house was a very small two bedroom log cabin. Dr. Paul Emmans gave two army bunk beds. There was room for only a very small dresser. Al built a chicken coop on stilts attached to their bedroom window so Mary didn’t have to fight the snow to gather the Rhode Island Red chicken eggs. A light bulb kept them warm. Al & Roger tore down an old building in town and added a bedroom and a dining room, and a root cellar. He dug in the mountain a 4x6 ft space where Al made shelves for canned fruit.

(Did Marilyn and Roger share the new bedroom before John was born?)

Black bear frequented the back yard. Dorothy feared they would come in the bedroom window. Elk ate from the garbage can. Dorothy enjoyed playing marbles with Roger on the bumpy rug. They skied together down the mountain on their boots until Dorothy’s legs were wrapped around a tree. One time Roger took Dorothy on his paper route. As they walked by the pop bottle truck, some bottles went in the paper bag. When leaving a business, a handful of candy bars went in the bag. The loot was put in a cache behind the cabin. Later they sat on the roof eating of the bounty. Roger’s boldness impressed Dorothy.

Marilyn & Roger flicked knives to land as close to the other. The object was to get as close as you could without cutting your opponent. Dorothy didn’t like that game. Marilyn and Marilee did most of the dishes. What did Roger do? Dorothy sat with Mary at the piano to get out of dishes. Wet clothes hung on lines strewn across the small living room.

During school recess the children played “I’m the king of the castle” on the piles of snow on the center of the street. Dorothy enjoyed the Nancy Drew and Hardy boy books. Roger memorized Caesar? and taped it for Grandpa Will Groth.

The children would slide off the roof into the snow bank before Al shoveled off the roof. Icicles grew from roof to ground in great sheets. Roger enjoyed camping and shooting ground hogs with Al. Al traded the old family Packard for a 30-30 rifle. Roger earned his clothes by shoveling snow for neighbors. Roger skated on Goodwill skates with the family on frozen streams.

The streets of Wallace were cleaned rapidly and the snow dumped in the river.

A bit of trivia: “Wallace gets more rainfall than any town in Idaho; the volcano drama, Dante's Peak, was filmed there, and old Interstate 90, which ran through town before it was rerouted, had the only highway stoplight between Seattle and Boston." http://wallace-id.com/modern.html

The second winter John Albert joined the family on March 2, 1951. He was Dorothy’s playmate. For a baby gift, generous Mark Rochat from St. Maries gave ½ a beef. Al tried to take a short cut from Wallace to St. Joe through Elk, ID. Al lugged the ½ beef and head on the Chrysler back to Wallace. Marilee took the cow’s eyes to school for show and tell. The head was cooked for head cheese which we sliced like thick jello with beef flavor. Al knew just how to use an axe to cut up the beef. On a later trip to St. Joe we enjoyed the hospitality of McDole’s at their roadside hamburger mobile. 30 miles south of Wallace, over Moon Pass, is the town of Avery on the St. Joe River.

Mary had her gallbladder surgery in 1952 and took John with her to Sierra Madre where her father could operate. Marilyn in 7th grade, and her father, Al, were the caregivers to Roger, Marilee, and Dorothy. While she was gone, Dorothy remembers ironing handkerchiefs and pillowcases and thinking that her mother shouldn’t come back. She’s seen her mother’s chest black and blue. She feared for her life. Al slammed a plate on the table if it had a nick or crack. Later Dorothy understood more the way a woman can drive a man to anger. As a child, it was tough. During this time Al took his children to other churches. Dorothy remembers one who served grape juice in little vials. She vomited because she felt it was the wrong place to be.

When Marilyn was in ninth grade choir she sang I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and wore Shirley Smith’s blue formal while singing. Mary washed dishes at Mr./Mrs.George’s Tea House. Mrs. George re-did old frames with an antique look of white wash over gold.

Al had a 1935 De Soto sedan with top carrier. He carried boxes of tomatoes or apples for our fall’s canning.

Once a month Al drove the 110 mile trip to Spokane to go to meeting. Weekends were spent at Aunt Elsie’s apartment, Adolph Lane’s on feather beds with jean quilts or at Dr. Paul and Ruth Emmans. Dr. Paul’s comments after Breaking of Bread encouraged even the young. Bob Baden was an excellent Sunday School teacher. During meeting Roger and Darrell Tanner entertained each other with rolling marbles across the floor. When the family stayed home Al read the Bible and offered a prize or the most verses memorized. Roger won the prize of a Bible. In the afternoon the family did Bible questions, picked huckleberries or took a drive.

Roger liked Latin taught by Miss Daniels and helped her in the library. Due to lack of money he didn’t ski or play the clarinet.

Dorothy remembers sweeping the rug in Roger’s bedroom. We didn’t have a vacuum. Al scolded her for stirring up a dust storm.

They were in Wallace six years.

For five summers Al worked on his masters in Cheney. Ninth grader Roger typed the thesis. Two summers the family lived in Ed Garner’s garage with no refrigerator. One summer they lived in a red “box trailer.” Dorothy remembers swimming in a city pool then getting lost on the way back to the trailer. One summer Roger and Marilee stayed in Wallace with Aunt Elsie and Ellen. Dr. Paul visited when Mary had pneumonia.

insert Trip from Wallace to Sierra Madre dw;

Mary Rochat 1990: Every summer we did some school work and carpentry. Our wages were paid in nine months. No wages in summer. After six years Al completed his master’s degree at Eastern Washington College of Education.

Ten days to S. California in our 1948 Olds. Dr. Paul found a big Oldsmobile for their trip. Leora Clark died July 3, 1954. The funeral was the day before we arrived on July 9. Al helped Howard Groth paint a house for Grandpa Will Groth.

In 1955 Al accepted a $4500/yr. job in Kennewick, WA. John was 6. (MER) The first summer we lived on First street with the backyard abutting the irrigation ditch. We enjoyed inner tube floats. It was so hot--110°. Later we moved to 514 W. First.

In the three years that Roger lived in Kennewick he worked as a page at Mid-Columbia Regional Library and as an orderly at Kennewick General Hospital he worked evenings for 72 cents to $1.12 an hour. The summer of 1957 he drove the bookmobile from Kennewick to Plymouth and enjoyed the ranchers and children.

He appreciated being able to remember the Lord and His death in Walla Walla. He had happy times in the homes of Clarence & Evelyn Berney, Mac & Margaret Hallowell, George & Marie Storrer, and Ruth & Ernie Storrer.

Thanksgiving 1956 we enjoyed Aunt Kathryn’s wrapped money in plum pudding. 1957 Dorothy Tillquist and Grandma Wm Groth came for a visit. August 17, 1957 we camped and dug clams south of Westport, WA. We came home via Mt. Rainier National Park Sep 5. We camped at Ohanapecosh. Dorothy’s friend, Chris Wrangham had a crush on Roger as did many girls.

Sometime we camped at La Wis Wis with Roger’s friend Karen. Marilee remembers and hiking and seeing a black bear on the trail just ahead of us. (Ruth Rochat: May 14 Ruth: La Wis Wis is a beautiful very old growth state park on the southwestern

corner of Mt. Rainier. It is the first "best place to camp" on your way to Paradise--always filled by noon on Friday! It has no rain shadow so it is mossy green.)

Roger started Kennewick High School as a sophomore. In grade 12 he sang Kilmer’s “Trees” while Mary Rita Rhody (who later became a nun) played the violin. They earned an A for Mr. Godeke English class. As a junior, he was representative to Boys’ State. He was charter member and vice-president of Molecules Associated, a science club and received recognition from the American Chemical Society for outstanding work in high school. (newspaper clip).

He was a finalist for Bausch and Lomb award. [In 2005 the Bausch & Lomb honorary science award is awarded to a junior who demonstrates outstanding academic achievement and superior intellectual promise in the field of science. If the recipient of this award applies and is accepted to the University of Rochester, he will be considered for the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Scholarship worth $7,500 per year. http://www.cal-mum.com/jr_award05.htm.]

John May 2005: Marilyn rose suddenly from the June 1957 Sunday dinner table remembering she needed to deliver a message to the Simmelinks in the Horseheaven Hills. 10th St.went up and down as you switched hills. It was easy to speed when steep. She had a head-on collision and spun into a telephone pole. She tried to avoid a car with children and hit the telephone pole. Her head was under the dashboard and needed stitches. John remembers thinking of going with her but thought he might die if he did. Mary called the police to find out what had happened to Marilyn. She was at Kennewick General Hospital.

Grandpa Groth bought her another car. That night Roger flew to NY on Bausch & Lomb scholarship. (news clipping: KHS Co-Valedictorian Roger W. Rochat will enplane Tuesday evening for Rochester, NY, to compete with 33 other US HS seniors for Bausch and Lomb science scholarship…)

He received a $500 National Honor Society scholarship competing with about 55,000 US students. Roger was one of three KHS finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program. Mike Bishop was the winner. He was offered a $1500 scholarship to Stanford and a $1900 General Motors’ scholarship. He chose the later.

Roger’s commencement at Kennewick Senior High School was Jun 3, 1958 at 8pm. There were three speeches on the theme “Carve your step deep and wide, that it may help those who come behind you.” Roger spoke on The Craftsmen, Lynda Farley on The Carvers and Nancy Nutley on The Climbers. Roger and Lynda were co-valedictorians. They both had 3.9 grade point averages. The Principal was T.H. Bennett and the Superintendent was Edward F. Bloom. Doug Coglizer was student body president and Carol Simmelink vice president. (graduation flyer)

After graduation in 1958 Roger worked at Lederle. That summer Marilyn said we took our county boys, Billy, Rocky, and Kim Cleaver, to the beach. Roger is in the photo with trailer and top carrier loaded. The Cleavers were with us until May 1959. Bill Cleaver was adopted out by Jan 1959.

RWR: I also recall driving with Grandpa Groth's car- that he gave me to take to UR--with him lying down in the back--about 1959. But how far did I drive him? Was it from CA to Wash? Or was it only within Wash?

Fall 1958-Spring 1960 Roger attended University of Rochester. The Milligans were his best friends. They called him “Roger the Lodger.” They were devout Christians, Open Brethren, perhaps. On May 13, 1959 Tri-City Herald had an inch article saying “Roger Wm Rochat, a 1958 Graduate of Kenn. Sr. HS has been named to the Dean’s List at the U of R because of his high scholastic averages during the first semester of the -58-’59 year.” Summer of 1959 Roger kept a diary while living in Rochester. [May 2005 RWR said he worked for CDC in 1959] Fall 1959 Roger helped Marilyn move to Clark Fork, ID then he hitchhiked on to Rochester.

Dot: Roger sent me a book by Kahlil Gibran. Perhaps The Prophet. But I thought it had to do with Philippians 2. “as a man thinketh”. I think the same year I memorized Phil 2:5-11 in Ruth Storrer’s SS class for the SS treat. It’s been special ever since. Roger introduced me to Paul Tournier also.

In June 1960 Stu Milligan drove Roger west and met the Rochat’s in Glacier National Park. Marilee rode with Marilyn in her 1953 Pontiac with good heavy speakers They drove through Burke on Rd 4, across Cooper Pass to Thompson Falls.. They followed Thompson River to Hiway 2, Kalispell and within 10 minutes three cars met at the West Entrance [May 2005- someone said at crossroads south of Glacier] of Glacier. Al, Mary, Dorothy, and John drove from Kennewick in the third car. Stu and Rog chased a brown bear up the tree. In Walla Walla Clarence & Evelyn Berney hosted us while Stu was with us. We thought he was pretty special.

Nov 15, 2005 Stu Milligan [lilgamin@frontiernet.net]

Roger & I, back in 1960 (45-plus years ago!!) when I went out to Kennewick with him, climbed Rainier with a group he knew to the Muir Hut and I got hooked on mountaineering ever since. We didn't make the summit that year because Roger had a commitment elsewhere, but I was able to take the White River route to the summit with my sons many years later - unguided.

Roger attended the Ludwigs-Maximilian Universitaet in Munich, Germany 1960-1961. In October he sent me a post card “Liebe macht blind!” He wrote that he saw the film Die Brücke, considered “about the best film in Germany & is the story of abt. sixteen year old German boys; how they were thrown into the war to defend their Vaterland & how they died the 3rd day after they left home with scarcely any knowledge of how to fight & no understanding of what was going on. Very tragic, but I enjoyed the film…PS I beg to differ with one remark in your letter, D. I question whether this will be my last trip to Europe.”

Roger agreed to meet us in NYC.

ADR’s Journal: Jul 19, 1961 Friday We departed Kennewick in Dr. Paul Emmans’ Buick and Bob & Margaret Johnson’s one wheel trailer

Jul-Oct 1961 Carol Storrer took Marie Storrer to Germany to visit Tante Paula Schumutz, the youngest sister. Roger, Hedi, and Roger drove in Carol's VW to Austria. (Nov 17, 2005 phoned Carol)

Attach Aug 61 trip to NY by dw

Aug 20, 1961 Sunday Chicago

Had no news from Roger before breakfast. As MJ and I were walking into Sunday School, there he was, dirty, white shirt, grey pantaloons, and grey knee socks. His hair was in a German hair cut. He arrived in NYC Friday night and hitchhiked with 3 cars. The best was from NJ to Chicago. He landed in Iceland before coming to US. He was on an unscheduled flight. That’s one reason we couldn’t contact him.

Rich M:I remember very well how Roger returned to Rochester. I was heading back to Washington DC at the same time to start my military/USPHS service so he rode with me as far as Illinois, where we picked up another Rochester buddy, and continued on to Rochester. I hung around there a day or so and met the Milligans, and then I drove to Washington. We began our trip east just after the Labor Day weekend.

I can summarize that trip also, although there were no earthshaking events along the way. I recall that we spent one rainy night in a motel in Peoria, IL. Little did he realize that he would get married in that town a few years later.

[

Jun 1961 after Marilyn finished her first year at Clark Fork, ID we went to Lake Wallowa and Haines Oregon Hot Springs. (Did Rog & Stu come back? Were they there? Marilyn said we met Stu and Roger at Haines.) Rich came to Kennewick after WW conference.

Sep 1961-May 1962 was Roger’s last year at Rochester. He graduated with a B.S.

Dec 1961 Marilyn came to Kennewick home from Leadore. Marilee from Whitman. Dorothy in grade 11.

Apr 1962 Grandpa Wm Groth rode with Clarence & Evelyn, AL, Mary, John, and Dorothy to Kelowna, BC. Visited with Percy & Docie Millard. Met Connie Graham, Audrey Keating, Art Millard and Beth Cox from Vancouver. Had fun in old house.

Jun 10, 1962 Roger hitchhiked from Kennewick to Lederle job. sign has hand hole: New York. Roger wearing narrow tie, camera?, slacks, carrying a CH sugar bag. Dorothy thinks he went to Walla Walla conference and then left.

Another time sign said Rochester, New York. and Roger had on a vest, no tie..

Jun 1962 Jack & Martha Ryan and family had homemade rootbeer at Kennewick Lagoon.

Sep 1962 Roger started University of Washington Medical School.

[MJM: Sep 62 you have Roger starting U of W med school. I made a last minute transfer from Whitman (after registering) to live with him and go to U of W. We lived in a basement next door to Jim and Helen Greenway a distance from school. Roger biked, I did 2 transfers on the bus. For winter quarter we lived walking distance but we both biked. A little into winter term Darrel Tanner shared Roger's room. I was the cook and still took 3 - 4 hr lab classes. Spring term I left to plan Rich and my wedding, make my wedding dress and yours, MB, and Lisettes ( I think) dresses, etc You don't need to add all this in, I just thought you might be interested.

Another interest-I spent 2 summers with MB at Ellensburg going to summer school with her. The second one to babysit Bert while she went, and I went when she could be with Bert. Mom and Dad would go the first section, and I'd do the second, this was to encourage MB to get her degree. And Rich got sick both those summers while I was gone or shortly before I came home. I'd come home on weekends even and cook for his week - I found a ride.. That was before we had a house. We rented 2 years.]

Dec 1962 Al, Mary, Marilyn, Marilee, Dorothy, and John attended the Groth Christmas party and conference. Ginny Woll flew in. Roger joined us and Roger asked Ginny to marry him at Aunt Dorothy’s. Roger rode with us north visiting Uncle Willard and Uncle Allen Hearne.

May 18, 1963 Rich & Marilee marry

1963 -RWR: After my first year of medical school, I hitchhiked from Seattle (") or Walla Walla (?) to Philadelphia; Ginny canceled the engagement; I hitchhiked West and my second ride was straight through to San Francisco- I can't recall how I got from there to the San Marcos area. I stayed with Uncle George and Aunt Eileen. And I can't recall how I got back to Seattle for my second year of medical school.

Sep 1963 MER letter: MB applies at Palisades. Ken Brimlow brought Roger to Portland and Rog hitched the rest of the way. 1 ½ days at Lehman Hot Springs. Rog has heavy heart.

Oct 12, 1963- Aunt LC, Grandma, Uncle Don & Aunt Kathryn were here. Mother had buffet lunch. Uncle Jim took me to WW at 3pm so I could go to YP. Rog arrived at 8pm with Shirley & Gerry & Karen, Sharon, Tommy. Progressive dinner, nite at Anita Froese. (Dot’s Diary)

Nov 22, 1963 JFK died.

Nov 23 Sat train to Seattle. . I did catch the train. Arr Seattle 8:30am. Called VA to find that Rog was at UW until 12:30pm. So I talked to Judy Clouse 45 min on the phone.. About 10:30 I took the #31 bus to Beacon Ave. Rog & I had dinner upstairs. Then went to David & Karen New at SPC in Hill Residence Hall. They are swell folks- like Berneys.

1963-1964 Rogers 2nd year at UW Med School.

Jan 1, 1964 Stayed at Marilee’s NY eve. Folks at Mittelstadts’. Rog & John also. Rog & John went snow skiing the 31st. John came north with Greenways.

Jan 20, 1964 Mon. 36 deg. Yesterday we had lunch at Tom & Sherry’s apt. Rog sent postcard saying he bought a ’57 Plymouth.

Mar 13 Fri. Rich Thonney picked me up at 6:05pm to go to Seattle. We talked till 11pm. Bed at midnite. Snoqualmie Pass had piles of snow.

Mar 14 Sat. Sleep at 2am; awake at 8:30am at Locati’s. MJ & Rog picked me up at ?, took me to arboretum & home on 4th. Afternoon we went to top of Space Needle. The wind was really blowing. At the arboretum azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and cherry trees were in bloom. Rog came for supper. We saw slides.

Mar 15 Sun all day mtg in Seattle. Pop Sester gave address Ex 12 & 16..Judy Connolly drove Mary Ann & I to Cle Elum. Rich T. drove us on.

Mar 27, 1964 Fri Went to Seattle. I’m writing from Helen & Greenway’s basement. Skipped school. We left Philip at 8am. Stopped to see Gertie 1 hr & MBR 2 ½ hr taking MB with us. Arrived at CleElum at 5pm. Judy packed her bags and joined us. At Mary Jane, Gordon’s & 4 mo. old Jenny Whitaker. We read II Cor 5. Dishes, then MJ played organ.

Judy & I slept at Greenway’s. The rest at Rich & MJM. Sat we went to arboretum. Marilyn had emotional breakdown 1st because 1. It was crowded at MJ’s apt. 2. Judy makes her nervous. 3. She thought Mother was bossing her around ie, Someone must go shopping with her so she won’t buy the wrong dress. Then Dad blew his temper at Mom. I enjoyed walking with Rich & John, however. Ignored and ran away from all emotional clashes. Lunch then Seward Park, VA. Rich, Rog, John, Judy & I went to the US Corp of Eng. Gov’t locks. It was fun, watching the pleasure motor, fishing boats come through. Dinner at Greenways, slides.

Jul 27, 1964 Mon We did go to Seattle taking Grandpa Groth & MB with us. Rog showed us VA & Doctor’s Hospital. We slept at Jim & Ginger Greenways (Beth, Mary Ann, Jonathan). I went to Tacoma all day mtg with Greenways. Mr Heslop from Regina spoke of B/A sign. We need our BA (born again) I was with Jeannie Richards. Went to Portland with Aunt Leah & Bill Bourgeois. Rang MR’s & Rich’s bell 4 times before MJ answered. She was very surprised to see me. They got out the roll away & I was asleep by 11pm. Mon I stayed at Gateway apt & read HMD material. Made 2 cherry & 2 apple pies. Mr Mitt came. Gordon S. called. Tues rain. I spent day at U of O med Library. Caught the wrong bus out to 102nd & Halsey. No picnic.

Wed at library. Thurs I scrubbed & waxed floors, made sugar cookeis. Mrs Mitt & Bill came for supper. Played carems. Bill & Rich beat. Fri went to Sesters with Lisette for lunch. Heslops there.

Oct 18, 1964 Sun Just returned from Palisades & Moses Lake. C & E Berney went with us Friday night. They wallpapered, fixed storm windows while I read Virgil & did physics problems. Sun noon at Timmons, nice time with Charlotte & Virginia. They say Louise doesn’t join in when there’s company. Home at 8pm. Rog & Phil joined us Sat night in Moses Lake

Nov 12, 1964 Thurs Today is Lizzie’s birthday. Kathy Weber sent me a letter apologizing for prying into who I liked. Rog wrote asking what I wanted for birthday or Xmas. MB’s car is busted, she’s sick. Mother told her if she’d put the Lord first He would care for her. If we look out for Lord’s desires, He’ll look out for ours.

Nov 26, 1964 Thanksgiving. Family here except MJ & Rich. MB home 10pm last nite; Rog 2:30am via Dan Thonney. We drove on Canal Drive, sang Lacey’s spirituals, ripped out partition in basement, sang carols, played chess, chopped wood. MB sewed blouse. Had birthday cake for Rog & gave him slippers, underwear, and telephone # book. Played 5 rounds ping-pong.

1964-1965 3rd near Med School

Feb 14 Roberta Lea born Feb 7. John & I took MB & Tish to P home Sat morning. Roberta is with us.

Feb 20 Sat. MJ, MB, Rich up this weekend. Carol Storrer Schultz had baby girl Feb 18.

Feb 28 Sun nite. John & I went bowling Sat nite. Folks thinking of adopting “Bobbi”.

Mar 17 Bud Thonney’s birthday. I’m sewing green corduroy suit.

Mar 27 Ruth & Ernie here last nite. They left in agreement to adopting Roberta. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”.

Feb 7, 1965 Roger was in med. school when Roberta was born. Marilyn attended summer school before marriage in Ellensburg (RWR).

Dorothy Rochat was listed in Tri-City Herald, Police Reports Nov 7, 1965, for stolen bicycle parts.

RWR: I received an LSU tropical medicine fellowship to study at the Children's Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica. En route to San Jose, I hitchhiked to New Orleans via Baltimore and Atlanta, stopping at medical centers to interview for internships. While in Atlanta, I was advised to visit CDC-and met Lyle Conrad, Alex Langmuir and others for the first time.

April 9, 1965 MB, Roberta, Roger, ADR, Mary, John, Dorothy in Portland- 102nd apt.

Nov 25-28 Roger lived at 4435 Beacon Ave, Seattle. Spent Thanksgiving at Taylor Ct.

Dec 1965 Roger met RN Susan. One week later he secretly proposed. Shortly after he took her to see Grandma Hélène Rochat and Aunt Elsie Coolin. At Christmas Roger took the train to Urbana, IL for an IVCF (International Varsity Christian Fellowship) conference. Susan flew to Peoria but was delayed 24 hours.

Jun 1966 graduation from University of Washington Med School attended by Grandpa GWG II, and ADR’s family.

Roger took Aunt Elsie’s old Plymouth station wagon and with John and cases of medicines drove into Mexico to give free medical attention to poor and ailing Mexicans. They had six flat tires during this mission! ADR Memoirs, 1980. p. 72

Jul 1966 to Mexico in Elsie’s car piled with clothes

Aug 10, 1966 Post card of Yellowstone to M/M Al Rochat stamped Aug 10, 1966

Hi Wed 1pm

After running over a rock in Idaho and getting 3” hole in gas tank, Paul fixed it with my thong, fingernail polish, and chewing gum. We arrived here at 10am after 1 hr delay. We’re getting along fine. 18-20 mi to gal. We’re sleepy now but plan to stop for the night. Saw Old Faithful. Haven’t found the Naugs yet. Love, Dorothy

Paul Emmans, Charlotte Timmins, Susan and Dorothy drove to Yellowstone to meet the Naugs. Susan stayed with her folks. The other three continued on to Des Moines (Bible conference?)

Feb 1967 Hawthorne Hall, Apt 1507, 1300 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70112

two years residency with Tulane at Charity Hospital in New Orleans

Jun 68 Wed Dad is flying to Chicago on Sat Jul 6th return Jul 27. MER

10 Aug 1968 Rog & Susan OR State Board of Health.

I joined CDC's EIS program and was sent to Oregon as their first EIS officer. That fall I was sent for two months to East Pakistan with Dr. Barth Reller to conduct the first field trial of oral therapy for cholera. Exposure to intense problems associated with rapid population growth, poverty, and crowding led me to change my career.

13-17 Jun 1969 Roger & Susan

Maternal Health Services, Geo. Office: 47 Trinity Ave W. Atlanta

I transferred to CDC's Family Planning Evaluation Activity and to the Georgia Health Department. One of my first tasks in Georgia was to determine whether the new state law legalizing abortion would reduce maternal mortality. Because of continuing discriminatory access to services, it would not. A lawyer cited this social inequity in Doe v. Bolton the Supreme Court case from Georgia that was decided concurrently with Roe v. Wade.

Sep 1970 Rog & Suz drove Dorothy to Kentucky Conference.

1 Jan 1971 family reunion in WW. LC, Rog & Sus, Don & K, Bill & Dorothy Berney, Dot, R & MJ

1972 Princeton, NJ, Dot visited: Two years later, CDC supported me in studying demography at Princeton for a year.

Aug 25, 1972 Rog, MB in Ptld.

27? Feb 1974 Dot with Rog & Mel visited Walla Walla.

Aug 15-20, 1974 at the beach with Susan, Mel, David, John (who was home from Guadalajara) and Mittelstadts. Roger left for Philippines Aug 10 and returned for a 23-25 reunion at Mittelstadts.

Apr 15-17, 1977 Rog. visit Barth, Carol Schultz.

Jul 1977 Suzette 6 mo. RWR family-Mrs Thew

Jul 4, 1978 RWR family to Denver. visit Elisha Glardon’s pig farm.

16 May 1979 Roger 2968 Edna Lane, Decator GA 30032

Aug 1979 David flew with Aunt Elsie to Denver; returned with ADR

I returned to CDC, spent a year in the CDC Director's Office of Program Planning and Evaluation, then returned to the Family Planning Evaluation Division. With CDC's major reorganization in 1980-81 I became the first Director of the Division of Reproductive Health.

Apr 20, 1980 Rog at 1000 Monroe house Denver

1980 Roger CDC travels in Lebanon and Indonesia; SW Rochat reunion

Jun 3-4, 1981 Rog signed guest book.

Aug 30, 1981 Roger and family meet Bruce & Dorothy at St. Maries, see Wallace, then meet at John & Ruth’s wedding in Portland.

May-Jun 1983 Bruce & Dorothy family attend Suzette’s kindergarten graduation.

Oconaluftee Cherokee Village, Smoky Mtn National Park., Warriors Path, Kingsport, TN State Park.

Aug 9-21 Aug 1983 John & Ruth host reunion at Gig Harbor, WA

Aug 24, 1985 Rochat reunion hosted by Shirley Kilcup

1985 CDC assigned me to Emory to develop the International Health Track.

April 30, 1987 Roger at Cherokee house; buys ice cream at Stapleton Int Airport for kids.

May 1987 Weeks flew on Delta from Jacksonville, FL. Arr ATL 1:48pm departed 3:22pm. Had few jumps on trampoline and maybe pizza before flying to Denver.

1987 to USAID, New Delhi for 2 years-in charge of Population, Health, and Nutrition.

New Dehli A32 West End Colony, New Dehli, 110021 India

Dorothy has letter written by Susan about tailors finishing the drapes. They get around by taxi and 3 wheel scooters, or borrow a car. Suzette started her menarche one month before her 11th birthday. Tells of traveling children.

1989 Roger spent 6 years developing Maternal and Child Health epidemiology in the Georgia Health Department.

1990 Roger work with Georgia Health Dept. Taiwan. Publ. "Infant Health in Georgia:

1991 Weeks at Lake Lanier and Atlanta. Carter Center, Farmer’s Market with Mel,

Jul 2, 1992 Suzette & Marilee flew to Denver Jul 4 Renaissance Festival

Jul 16, 1993 Rog & Susan in Bennett a few hrs.

Sep 13, 1993 John & Ruth go to India.

Jun 24, 1994 Ray Peppers m. Melanie Rochat

Jan 1996 ADR’s funeral

Oct 13, 1996 Mom R to Atlanta; Oct 16 DHS

Nov 20, 1998 MB, MER and Dot at Roger’s 58th birthday. (Vanguard for Dot)

Jan abt 19, 1999 Roger sees burnt house. pulls out genealogy papers for salvage.

Sep 8, 1999 Ruth, Roger, Susan in RV take loads from emu sheds to semi. Roger finds…

Nov 1999 retired from 30 yr at CDC. Dot at party. Many spoke of Roger’sanalytical mind, compassion, and hospitality. Love and appreciation flowed towards him. He was a mentor of many.

Antarctica with John

Jun 6-7, 2000 Suzette here from Chapel Hill, NC

Aug 13-14, 2000 Roger sanded dresser, Chuck Hendricks took him to DIA.

Aug 26-28, 2000 Susan cooked/cleaned for housewarming.

Nov 20, 2000 Mom flies Denver to ATL

Birthday letters to Dot from Roger (He always has remembered my birthday)

Oct 28, 1983 Hong Kong- squirrel feces for oral potions to treat dysmenorrheal, bought rosewood dining room table.

Yearly newsletters:

Christmas 1981 poem by Suz. Rog director of Family Planning. went to JAR’s wedding

Dec 19, 2000 retired, Antarctica, DHS, Queen Elizabeth, Dalits, MER heart attack

11 13 2020 MJ

A few more thoughts:

I thought Roger started first grade at 5 yrs, not 4, and he turned 6 yrs in Nov. I didn't start the year after Roger, I was 2 years behind him even tho he is just 14 months older than me. If you subtract his birth year 1940 from graduation year 1958 you get he graduated at 18 in the spring and subtract 12yrs you get 6 after Nov and 5 when he started 1st grade. I thought he graduated at 17, but that was when he began his senior year.

Rich and I calculated it was 1 1/2 miles to school so it was a little more than 1 mile anyway. We didn't walk thru snowdrifts but to the leeward side of them. I started 1 st grade with a cast on my left arm. Did you ever go back to the farm? You know it isn't there anymore, right? They razed it and the little hill it sat on for planes flying over to land at Geiger (I think it was).

So Roger had 3 finger episodes, the chicken chop, the haychop, and the John Lewis chop? Watch those fingers, Rog! I believe the Lord preserved him many a time.

Sep 62 you have Roger starting U of W med school. I made a last minute transfer from Whitman (after registering) to live with him and go to U of W. We lived in a basement next door to Jim and Helen Greenway a distance from school. Roger biked, I did 2 transfers on the bus. For winter quarter we lived walking distance but we both biked. A little into winter term Darrel Tanner shared Roger's room. I was the cook and still took 3 - 4 hr lab classes. Spring term I left to plan Rich and my wedding, make my wedding dress and yours, MB, and Lisettes ( I think) dresses, etc You don't need to add all this in, I just thought you might be interested.

Another interest-I spent 2 summers with MB at Ellensburg going to summer school with her. THe second one to babysit Bert while she went, and I went when she could be with Bert. Mom and Dad would go the first section, and I'd do the second, this was to encourage MB to get her degree. And Rich got sick both those summers while I was gone or shortly before I came home. I'd come home on weekends even and cook for his week - I found a ride.. That was before we had a house. We rented 2 years

11 22 2020 MJ: Yes, I sent a lot of corrections/possible additions to this doc. Can you correlate the 2?

Just to make one sentence flow to another, when you don't know the story from the bottom up, you have to add or say something. I'm very concerned about this. How does one write history when you have no memory of it and you try to make a story out of someone else's shortly related thoughts.

I only saw a few photos on RWR site. I'll try to look again a little later.

I made sourdough crumpets this aft. Easy and good - don't remember ever having them.