Roger W. Bleier Dies; Was a 31-Year Sitkan
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- Created on Wednesday, 03 January 2024 13:33
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Roger W. Bleier
Roger W. Bleier, 72, died on Dec. 19, 2023, at home in Sitka after a long illness with prostate cancer.
Roger was born in Rochester, New York, to Joseph and Mary McBride Bleier. He had a brother, Ron, and a sister, Karen.
In 1965, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Roger enjoyed hiking the mountains and canyons of Arizona, California, and Utah with friends plus skiing in the winter. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service for several years in Arizona.
Roger was man of many interests, projects and intellect whether it was jobs or education, formal or self-taught.
The adventures continued after he married Nancy Jo (Wright Hogin) Bleier in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1987. After buying an older 30’ Rawson sailboat in Dana Point, California, they sailed north. They stopped in Friday Harbor, Washington, for three years, where Roger dove cleaning boats and learned locksmithing.
In 1991 the sailboat move on to Alaska. In 1992 Nancy Jo got a job at SEARHC, Sitka. Roger continued classes at University of Alaska Southeast, getting certified in water maintenance and earning an associate degree; he worked at Sheldon Jackson swimming pool, UAS computer lab, and SAFV (Sitkans Against Family Violence) maintenance.
Roger enjoyed riding motorcycles in Arizona. This continued in Sitka.
There was the excitement of traveling with Nancy Jo in the Ural (motorcycle/sidecar) in Sitka, the Yukon, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
In the last few years he taught himself to read music, and learned to play harmonicas, guitars, banjo, fiddle, ukulele and saxophones.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Mary Bleier, brother Ron Bleier, and sister Karen Bleier.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Jo Bleier, and her siblings, Chris Wright, Ann/John Sudderth, Fred/Susan Wright and their families. Cousins from the McBride and Bleier families also survive.
Memorial donations can be made to: https://www.safv.org/donate (Sitkans Against Family Violence) and https://www.braveheartvolunteers (Brave Heart Volunteers).
A celebration of Roger’s life will happen later.
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