Roger
began square dancing and calling in Chicago, IL in 1959 as a member of the Calico Kids, where Velma Larson taught him to square dance and call. As a member of both
the Calico Kids and Calico Teens exhibition groups, he performed at State Festivals and National Conventions between 1960 and 1967. The exhibitions included hash
square dancing, round dancing, contras, quadrilles, tandem squares, clogging and challenge dancing.
In 1967 he moved to Oregon to attend Oregon State University, where he earned his teaching degree. He was a Building Inspector for local governments for 13 years,
and had taught 5th and 7th grades for 15 years. Roger retired from teaching in July, 2004.
While dancing with the OSU Promenaders in October 1967, he met his wife, Linda. They were married in June, 1971 and are the parents of two daughters - TannaLynne
Michelle (deceased) and Brooke Nicole. Linda was also a teacher, retiring in 2001.
Roger and Linda have been active in the Mid-Winter Festival for many years. Their main responsibility has been scheduling the callers for the Festival. There were
the Co-Chairman for the 2011 Festival and served as Chairman for the 2012 Mid-Winter Festival.
Roger also taught lessons for the Corvallis Squares for 20 years and served as the Caller Advisor for the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs for four
terms from 1998 to 2002. He joined Callerlab in 1975. He is also active in the Cascade Callers and Cuers Association in Eugene/Springfield and is a Life Member in
the Capital Callers and Cuers Association in Salem. He has taught Callers classes in the Eugene/ Springfield area. Roger has been involved in many State festivals,
and he and Linda were the Assistant Education Chairman at the 1994 National Convention held in Portland. Roger and Linda are currently serving as Goodwill
Ambassadors for the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dancers and were given the Randall Award in 2024. The Randall Award is the highest honor the Federation
can bestow on a square dancer. The award is intended to honor those dancers who have done great service for the Oregon Federation and for square dancing in Oregon,
and especially those who work behind the scenes where recognition is so rare.