Roger Melvin Vales, 82, of Annapolis, MD passed away on 10 June 2021.
Roger was born on 2 May 1939 in Rochester, Minnesota to the late Melvin and Hazel Vales. After graduating from the ROTC program at South Dakota State University, Roger joined the U.S. Air Force in 1961. A distinguished and interesting career followed as a navigator in the Air Force, highlighted by a tour in Vietnam; flying dignitaries all over the world including Sec. State Henry Kissinger, the Apollo 17 Astronauts, Gov. Ronald Reagan, Sen. George Bush, and President Gerald Ford; and working as an intelligence officer in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Roger continued to serve his country for another 15 years working for the Defense Intelligence Agency, even returning post retirement to support his country after 9/11. He served in many leadership positions at Davidsonville United Methodist Church, overseeing the addition of the Fellowship Hall and the CrossRoads Child Development Center. Roger enjoyed boating, golf, fishing, especially with his grandkids and traveling.
In addition to his parents Roger was preceded in death by his sister, Carol Dennis. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Vonda; sons, Jeffrey and his wife Nicole from Charlottesville, VA, and Christopher and his wife Kerry from Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ; sisters, Joyce Wagner of Grinnell, IA, and Nancy Paczosa of Orland Park, IL; his beloved grandchildren, Thomas, Patrick, Benjamin, Lucas, and Audrey Vales.
Friends and family are invited to celebrate Roger's life on Thursday, June 17, 2021 from 6-8pm at the Kalas Funeral Home and Crematory, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater. A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 18 at 10 am at Davidsonville United Methodist Church, 819 W. Central Ave, Davidsonville. Interment with military honors will follow at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers a donation in Roger's name may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at http://fightcf.cff.org/goto/TeamFeets2021. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.KalasFuneralHomes.com
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