Caleb Roehrig, 95, of DeLand, died Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at his home at The Cloisters.
He was born in Medina, NY, April 17, 1918, son of Gilbert H. and Helen B. (Burns) Roehrig. His family later moved to Auburndale, MA. Caleb graduated from Newton High School, received a BA from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard University. He married the love of his life, Frances R. Fernald, on December 3, 1942.
Commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on the day before his wedding, Caleb served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater in World War II. He became the Commanding Officer of subchaser U.S.S. SC539, and rose to rank of Lieutenant.
Upon his return from service, Caleb worked as a manufacturing manager for the Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, MA. In 1966 he left the corporate world to serve in the Peace Corps, moving his family to Ecuador, The Dominican Republic and finally Washington, DC, where he served as Director of the Latin American Region. In 1972 he started a direct mail marketing company, Stockton, Inc., where he worked until his retirement to New Smyrna Beach in 1989.
Caleb was an accomplished golfer, shooting his age when he was 82, and an avid sports fan, particularly fond of the Boston Red Sox. He was passionate about current events, loved to read and was a life-long learner. He and his wife, Frances, were married for 65 years, until her death in 2007.
He is survived by five daughters and their husbands; Nancy and Larry Bailey of Boise, ID, Elizabeth and John Abernathy of New Smyrna Beach, Holly and Andy Lee of Bentonville, AR, Susan and Jay Reilly of Milton, GA, Martha Roehrig of Port Orange; and one son and his wife; Charlie and Amy Roehrig of Ann Arbor, MI; 13 grandchildren; Ransom Bailey, Andy Lee, Anna Bailey, Jessie Garner, Jaime Moore, Julia Scripps, Caleb Roehrig, Travis Lee, Allison Parmenter, Dan Roehrig, Joe, Matt and Sam Reilly, 20 great grandchildren and one brother, C. Burns Roehrig of Hilton Head Island.
A Memorial Service will be held at St. Peter the Fisherman Episcopal Church in New Smryna Beach, Monday, 2:PM, Sep 16, 2013. In lieu of flowers, donations in Caleb’s memory may be made to:
UCP/WORC, an affiliate of United Cerebral Palsy
1100 Jimmy Ann Drive
Daytona Beach, FL 32117
I am sorry to learn about your losing your father. Thinking back many years to our early college days, I can fondly remember meeting him (your mother, too). He was fun to know.
Now that my parents are both gone, I am so sympathetic and am sending special, loving energy your way. Family photos are so much more important now. Love,Cheryl Ann Holt