Roland Lawrence Vasanoja

Palmer resident Rollie Vasanoja, 56, died Feb. 4, 2010, from complications associated with diabetes. Rollie was born in Anchorage and spent his entire life living in Palmer. He was very proud of being a third generation of the Valley colonists.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 28 at Palmer Elks Lodge 1842, N. Barry’s Resort Drive (located on Finger Lake Road off Bogard Road) in Wasilla. The Past Exalted Rulers of the Elks Lodge will officiate the ceremony. There will be a potluck following the services in celebration of Rollie’s life.

Rollie was born Dec. 14, 1953, to Lawrence “Larry” and Irene (Plumley) Vasanoja. As a child, Rollie enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. Rollie became interested in mechanics at a very early age. He was about 2 years old when he started using tools by taking his own highchair apart and putting it back together. As he grew older he spent many hours building model cars and airplanes.

He graduated from Palmer High School in 1972 and never had a problem getting As. As a young man his passion for taking things apart continued and in 1974 he graduated from the Wyoming Technical Institute in Laramie as an automotive technician. Upon returning from school he found it hard to find work as a mechanic, so he began doing body and fender work for John Pendergrass at JP Auto Body. Over the years he was employed by body shops throughout the Mat-Su Valley. He became very proficient and developed quite a reputation for being very meticulous and doing a good job. For a time he also worked for Campbell Surveying working in the field with Bud and his son Greg.

At the age of 9, Rollie was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and when he was in his 40s he was declared legally blind. He was unable to work for a time but eventually had surgery, which helped bring some of his eyesight back. This enabled him to return to the auto body restoration field that he loved so much. He owned Rollie’s Auto Body, where he continued the work he loved so much until his hands became impaired because of his illness.

Rollie was very good with computers and enjoyed helping others with their computer problems. At the time of his death he was still working on computers even though his hands didn’t always cooperate.

Rollie was very active in his community by serving as a past governor of the Palmer Moose Lodge and past exalted ruler with the Palmer Elks Lodge. He was a member of the Palmer Elks Lodge for 28 years and was employed as the secretary of the Lodge for five years.

Rollie never married and was preceded in death by his mother, Irene J. (Plumley) Vasanoja. He is survived by his father, Lawrence “Larry” R. Vasanoja; sister, Cynthia “Cindy” S. Corey and her companion, Doug Moulton; nieces and their families, Samantha Weiland, her husband Andy and their son Boston Weiland, Tracie Hawkins and her husband Danny and their three sons, Dyson, Daryen and Deegi Hawkins. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins throughout Alaska and the Lower 48.

Donations may be made in Rollie’s name to the American Diabetes Association, 801 W. Fireweed, Suite 103, Anchorage, AK 99503 or to the Palmer Elks Lodge charity fund, 2600 N. Barry’s Resort Dr. Wasilla, AK 99654.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.