ARREY, New Mexico — Roger Lee Garlock, 75, passed away April 7, 2021, in Arrey, New Mexico.
There will be a tribute to Roger June 23, in Brookings.
He entered this world on July 26, 1945, on the southwest side of Chicago.
In his younger years he wanted to be with his older brother Dennis, who always tried to “ditch” him. Later in life Roger described Dennis as “no Wally” if you remember “Leave it to Beaver”. Rog played football at Bogan High School as a lineman. As a youth, he spent his summers in South Dakota working on his Uncle Gene Field’s farm near De Smet. Rog loved the farm work.
After graduating in 1963, he began his adult life working in Indiana steel mills and moved on to the open road behind the wheel of a tank truck for his father’s (Ronald Garlock) company. He later joined the army and ended up as a Military Police in Belen, New Mexico. Out of the army, with the help of his dad, Rog bought a farm in De Smet. He was a happy farmer, tilling the soil, tending the crops and animals, with a succession of dogs named Becky as his constant companions.
Rog loved fast cars and in his spare time built a drag racing car named the Blue None. He became a regular at the local drag strip and won his share of races. Rog and the race car were quite a pair until the early 80s rolled around, which is when he met and married Carolyn Rohdie, and the Blue None moved to the back of the garage.
Rog and Carolyn spent some happy years together on their “Ol Macdonald” farm. The story goes that for several years in a row, there was too much rain in South Dakota. Tired of walking in mud, Roger announced “I’m going to New Mexico”. They sold the farm in the late 1980s, loaded up the trailer, and off they went with a dream and a prayer to retire in the open desert in Arrey, N.M., where they bought some land with a good manufactured home. Here they raised goats, chickens, pigeons, ducks and a camel named Stan Lee. For a while they also had Ollie the bossy donkey, who could stand under Stan Lee. And, they leased a manufactured home to their very good friends Chuy and Angela Cervantes and daughter Lucinda on their land right next to their home.
In Arrey, Rog and his wife, Carolyn lived out their days among a community of friends and neighbors who were like close family. Family will always remember him as gentle, friendly to all, hard working, decisive, with a quiet and wry sense of humor, delivered with a grin.
Roger is survived by his brother, Dennis (Karen) Garlock of Salem, Ore.; his three nieces, Jenny Stout, Anita Seeger, and Erika Garlock; the Rohde family; and remembered with love by friends and family near and far.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn; and his parents, Ronald and Esther (Field) Garlock.
Roger will be laid to rest in Lake Preston Cemetery next to his parents.
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