Kenneth W. Roper
February 28, 1929 - June 9, 2014

" Naturally, the news saddens me very much, but as I thought back I realized what a great gift Ken was to me. I remembered how Millie and Ken treated Barb and me almost like your own kids - for us, moving two hours away from all of our family and friends, that meant a lot. I remembered how you had us down for dinner and introduced us to tacos - that helped a lot when we moved to California! How Ken lent me a 35mm camera to take to the New Hope Car Show, which introduced me to the photography hobby. Ken also lent me some odd-ball music from time to time. How Joe and Ken taught me the Engineering craft, pride in doing a good job; and at the peak of my career I have done some very good things at my current job. I am still overwhelmed at your hospitality when Barb, my son Tom, and his wife Jess and I were back a few years ago. Ken gave us all pens, and me a shift knob wine cork and a desk pen holder. I am happy that we stayed in touch over the years, Ken always encouraged my keeping fun cars, even though he didn't always like the same cars I do. Ken was a great big-hearted kid that always looked on the bright side of life. Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

"Dad taught us by living large, with little means. We went far and wide on vacations on a small budget, taking tents and pulling campers, usually in a van very full of kids. You have to bond under those conditions. Adversities became life lessons: breaking a Citroen axle late in the day, finding cheese sandwiches to feed the kids in a seedy bar, cramming us all into a Checker Cab; or the time a wheel came off the camper along an interstate. But the older kids got to see the solar eclipse in Nova Scotia in 1972, and the lyric in Carly Simon's song always make me think of Dad. And of course he made a time lapse movie of the eclipse as us kids took turns counting off some seconds and squeezing the remote shutter release. Too many great memories to relate... but the lessons made us a loving family and better individuals. -Phil"

"I will always remember how he was a loving and devoted husband. When I first met him and mom 33 years ago,a they were cuddling together in a reclining chair and I thought that was so sweet. Julie Roper"

"One of my favorite memories with Dad is him driving the family van towing a Fiat (I forget which one) behind with a chain, and I was the driver of the non-running Fiat. The tow chain wasn't secured well enough and came undone. Besides having an engine that didn't run, the Fiat also had brakes that didn't stop. I passed the van (which did have brakes) and brought the Fiat to a slow stop on the side of the road. Dad was a bit concerned that we could have had some serious trouble. (I thought it was great fun!) -Bruce"

"My father-in-law loved cars. Whether is was looking at them at shows, towing them home or working on them, he loved them all. I can remember walking into the kitchen of the Summit Ave house and usually there was a car part sitting on the counter. And how many cars can you get in that garage? More than you think. "

"One of my most treasured objects is a pen that my dad made a few years ago. He gave them as Christmas presents that year, all a little different. He had us pick which one we wanted. I carry it in my purse, always, and think of him fondly as I pull it out to use it. Elaine"

"My favorite memory of my father-in-law was riding in his red Speedster. He had the biggest smile on his face. It was a nice and sunny day in August. We had fun riding around his neighborhood in his car, despite the back firing and pieces of the car falling off. It was the ride of my life! I will never forget that day! "