Alfred Frederick Roeder

Alfred Frederick Roeder, 92, passed on May 15, 2020. He entered this world on February 7, 1928, roughly a year and a half before the Great Depression in August of 1929.

Both the visitation and service will be held at Lifeway Church on Friday, August 7, 2020 which is located at 3500 E. Thompson Road, Indianapolis, IN 46227.

Visitation starting at 11 am – noon, the service will begin at noon until 1 pm. Concluding with a military service at 1:10 pm.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution can be made to the U.S. Coast Guard at https://coastguardfoundation.org. Once you’re on their site, look in the upper left-hand corner for the word “Donate” and click there. Scroll down to the middle of the page and you will see where to add your memorial contribution. Either use “make this gift in honor of” or in “memory of someone special” and type Alfred F. Roeder.

During his life as a child, he was sent to live at the orphanage home for roughly three years before going back home to live with his parents, Alfred L. and Charlotte Roeder.

As a young teenager, Alfred “Al” worked for Standard Grocery Store as a bagger, and then he went to work for Eli Lilly & Company working in the Dry Finish Department.

At age 17, Al joined the U. S. Coast Guard in December 1945 towards the end of World War II. When he left the Coast Guard, he received an Honorable Discharge on April 18, 1947. Al received the World War II Victory Medal and the American Area Campaign Medal.

Sometime after leaving the Coast Guard, Al met the love of his life, Francis Maxine “Maxine,” and they were married on February 10, 1950. They loved to go dancing and danced to the sound of Big Band music just about every night and they would find time to travel as well. Mostly to find another dance hall to cut loose on.

About a year later, Al joined the U.S. Navy Reserve in January 1951 during the Korean War. About fifteen months later, Al and Maxine decided to rededicate themselves to each other and were remarried on May 29, 1952.

When Al left the U.S. Navy Reserve, he was Honorably Discharged on April 27, 1953 and was recommended for re-enlistment, however, he chose not to as he and Maxine were ready to start a family.

They tried for years to start a family, but the timing was not right for them, so they heard if you adopt a child this would help relax you. In 1959, Al & Maxine adopted their first child, Melissa. Again, wanting another child, they tried again with no luck, so they adopted their second child, Karen. After adopting Karen, within a few months, Al & Maxine were pregnant with their first child, Stacie. Then four years later, Al & Maxine were pregnant with their second child, Sheila.
Al was a long-time member of Garfield Christian Church in Indianapolis where he was often spotted on the second row on the left side of the church along with his family sitting next to him. Al was a church deacon for several years as well.

Al worked for Creative Packaging and then RCA. While having a wife and four children at home, Al went back to night school while still working full-time during the day where he received his associate degree (AA, AS) in Industrial Engineering from Purdue.

In December of 1971, Al joined the City County Building in the Capital Assent Management Department where he ended up as the Property Officer when he retired 25 years later on April 26, 1996. During his tenure with the City, Al served as the 26th Precinct Committeeman and then becoming the Ward Chairman. In addition, Al was involved with the Kiwanis, the Riley Lockerbie Association, a former bell ringer for the Salvation Army and a past board member of the Central Indiana Counsel of Aging.

At that time, Mayor Stephen Goldsmith proclaim April 26, 1996 as “Alfred F. Roeder Day” and asked all citizens to join him in congratulating Al on 25 exemplary years of customer service.
Before retiring, his wife, Maxine passed away in November of 1991. In December of 1992, Al married his second wife, Donna where they spent the next 27 and a half years together.

Al and Donna lived in Indianapolis a few years before deciding to move to Florida, Zephyrhills to be exact. They enjoyed the warm weather, however Al decided to go back to work part-time at the Tampa Convention Center where he worked for nine years. Donna decided to join him three years later and they both worked there. Al worked the night shift while Donna worked the day shift. They both worked there until 2010.

Al used to speak about all the people he would meet at the Tampa Convention Center that had ties to Indiana. He would especially get excited when he met/spoke with someone from Indianapolis. He would say, what a small world we live in.

Al and Donna decided it was time to move back to Indiana, so they sold their mobile home and moved to Greenwood, Indiana where they lived at Trotter Point Apartment for two years.
Within two years, Al and Donna moved to the Indiana Veteran’s Home making this his last home.

While there, you would think a man his age, 90+ would be ready to relax and enjoy life, but he still wanted to make a difference, so he ran for Indiana Veteran’s Home (IVH) Resident Assembly President his first year living there. Al lost by one vote. The next year, Al was nominated twice for the same position, Resident Assembly President and he won. Al was so thrilled of this position and couldn’t wait to show his family his first signed minutes from his first meeting with his signature on them. IVH met once a month for the group to meet and discuss topics brought up by the residents. Due to COVID-19, IVH had to put these gatherings on hold.

Before COVID-19, Al would participate in the weekly bingo games at IVH. He especially enjoyed these games with they were sponsored by the different organizations.

Everything Al (our Dad) accomplished, he did it with compassion and by example as he loved to supervise and lead in all that he did whether at work, home or church.

Having a wife, mother-in-law and four daughters at home, it kept Al busy as he worked full-time and at times worked a part-time job at Baker’s Shoe Store and then the Hoosier Dome as a ticket taker. He worked the extra jobs to help support his family. When not working, Al loved to read the newspaper, read leadership and self-help books and worked on crossword puzzles.

If not reading, Al enjoyed TV shows like Hee Haw, Hogan’s Heroes, Mash, Lawrence Welk and Benny Hill. Occasionally, we could get dad (Al) to go to a movie with us. One time he went, and we saw Young Frankenstein. During a quite part of the movie, dad sneezed so loud he scared a lady three rows down from us that she threw her popcorn up in the air. We laughed so hard that dad couldn’t stop laughing for at least five minutes or so and we all had tears running down our faces. It was probably one of the best memories we still think about and have a laugh or two. As far as the lady three rows down from us, it wasn’t funny to her at all as she lost, I bet half of her popcorn on the floor at that time.

Al was preceded in death by his father, Alfred L. Roeder, his mother, Charlotte Roeder Martin, his brother, Lloyd Roeder, his sister-in-law, Alma Roeder Schwab, his first wife, Maxine Roeder, his daughter, Melissa and her husband, Al’s son-in-law Herbert “Herbie” Downton and his stepdaughter Theresa “Terri” and her husband, and Al’s step-son-in-law, Jim Jeliffe.
Survivors: wife, Donna Roeder, three daughters, Karen (Ed) Robinson, Stacie Roeder and Sheila Roeder, two step-sons, Rick (Lesia) French and Randy (Clara) French, one stepdaughter, LaDona (Jerry) Skillman, a nephew, Merwin “Curly” (Marilyn) Roeder, a niece, Kathy Sauceda, three grandsons, Michael (Courtney) Clayton, Derrick Jethroe and Dustin Robinson, one granddaughter, Kamia Jethroe, several great-grandsons, step great-grandsons, great-granddaughters and step great- granddaughters.

Al was a loving husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, step-grandfather, great-grandfather and step-great-grandfather.

He will be truly missed and was loved by all.