12/28/2016
John Gaylord “Jack” Roorda, 87, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on December 28, 2016, at Meth-Wick Community, Cedar Rapids, after a short illness.
Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2017, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids with visitation one hour prior. Inurnment: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Jack was born May 22, 1929, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to John Henry and Iva Erena (Giles) Roorda. Jack was a high school athlete and scholar and a 1947, graduate of Knoxville (Iowa) High School. He earned a track and football scholarship to Simpson College and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He earned a teaching certificate from Simpson.
On Thanksgiving morning November 23, 1950, he married his high school sweetheart (Mary) Louise Denny in the Knoxville United Methodist Church Chapel.
In 1951, Jack served his country in the United States Army, in the Korean War, as an MP. Upon his honorable discharge he earned his Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree from, what is now, the University of Northern Iowa. He taught school for several years and then had a long career in sales in several locations before moving back to Knoxville. Upon his retirement he was serving as general manager of the Pella Chronicle.
Jack and Louise moved to Ocala, Florida for retirement before moving to Cedar Rapids to the Meth-Wick Retirement Community in 1999. Louise died in 2004.
Jack enjoyed woodworking, playing pool, making jokes, and spending time with family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Iva; wife, Louise; sisters, Betty and Marjorie; brothers-in-law, Arthur and Parke; and daughter-in-law, Gena.
Jack is survived by four children, Deborah (Rick) of Keokuk, Doug of Belle Plaine, Denise (Scott) of Cedar Rapids, and Dawn (Mark) of Storm Lake; 9 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives.
The family would like to thank the staff of Meth-Wick and the staff of UnityPoint Hospice team for the loving care of their beloved Jack.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials for the Meth-Wick Community.