Gayle W. Roper, 95, of Lincoln, died November 27, 2015. Born on March 8, 1920 in Lincoln, NE to Harry C. and Florence (Armstrong) Roper. He graduated from Jackson High School in University Place in the class of 1938. He and his classmates were an extremely close-knit group who maintained contact throughout their lives, meeting for lunches once a month and class reunions every year.
Graduating high school at the height of the depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp, one of the programs initiated by the Roosevelt Administration to give meaningful work to the unemployed. He was sent to work in Weeping Water where he met his future wife, Margaret Rohlfs. They were married in March 1941 and had two daughters and a son.
Their son, Darrell Wayne died in 1953 at the age of eight years old of a brain tumor. Gayle enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served for three years in the South Pacific on two carriers the second of which, the U.S.S. Pickaway, he helped to put into commission in December 1945. He always downplayed his participation in WWII because he said he never saw combat or did anything noteworthy. However, he was most proud of being a shellback-twice.
A Shellback being a person who has crossed the equator. After the war he passed the Civil Service exam and became a Letter Carrier with the U. S. Postal Office for twenty-five years. He was totally committed to the Postal Union and helped bring about many important changes, not only for the post office, but for all workers, union or not.
He was a proud card carrying union member all his life. In fact, he was extremely active in many organizations important to him. He held pretty much every office in the V.F.W. post 3606 achieving the rank of Cootie. He was president of his church council. In 1966 he was appointed an Admirable in The Great Navy of the State of Nebraska by Governor Frank Morrison for his loyalty and service to the state.
After an early retirement from the Post Office, a friend asked if he would like to join the University of Nebraska postal service. So for ten years he enjoyed joking with the clerical workers on both city and east campus. Upon his second retirement he and Marge took to the road exploring the northeastern states of the United State and Canada and visiting their two daughters at opposite ends of California.
At the death of his wife in January 1996, his youngest daughter, Leslie, returned from California and lived with him for twenty years until his death. Each winter he migrated to Southern California to spend time with his much-beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A lover of sports all his life he discovered golf in midlife and it remained his passion, still playing golf at the age of 95, only a few months before his death. He was preceded in death by his parents, his four siblings, his young son and wife.
He is survived by his daughters, Leslie Roper of Lincoln and Gail (Roper) and Larry Ferrell of Murrieta, CA, his grandson and granddaughter, Tony and Kristen Ferrell, his two great-grandchildren, Amanda and Gabriel Ferrell and Tony’s special friend and partner Jennifer Stewart.
A Memorial Service will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4, 2015 at Roper and Sons Chapel, 4300 ‘O’ Street.
Memorials may be given to any animal charity of donor’s choice.