Roger Rife
January 10, 1949 ~ June 18, 2021
Roger Rife, 72, of Mount Vernon, passed away Friday, June 18, 2021, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, following a brief illness. Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Thursday, June 24, 2021, at the Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, Mount Vernon, by Pastor Marsha Acord. Visitation: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon. Private Burial: Lone Tree Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; children, Aaron Thomson, Carrie (Patrick) Witt, Jon (Shawn) Rife, Emilie Minnick (Richard Wecker), and Adam Rife; grandchildren, Eliana, Bethany and Devon Homer, Mason, Jersey, and Letty, and one on the way; siblings, John (Thelma) Rife, Joyce Rife, and Jim (Nancy A.) Rife; special family member, Lisa Thomson; numerous nieces and nephews; and many extended family members, friends, and neighbors.
Roger Earl Rife was born January 10, 1949, in Nichols, Iowa, to Wayne 'Babe' and Dr. Gladys Talcott Rife. He grew up in the Mount Vernon, getting into trouble as kids with his brother, Jim'including bonfires and that depot incident. Their childhood fun kept their parents busy. Roger graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1967, then attended several colleges, completing three and a half years. He met Nancy Buenger at a children's symphony event in Cedar Rapids, and they were married at the Allee Chapel at Cornell on August 4, 1990. He worked at Neal's for many years and found joy in providing service to the community'and was even rewarded with pie from time to time. Roger enjoyed traveling and going on road trips (preferring to take the back roads), having bonfires, playing cards with family and friends, going to stock car races, and watching sports'especially the Hawkeyes.
Roger happily retired after nearly 40 years. He liked setting up bird feeders to watch the birds, and was always creative in keeping the squirrels away. Roger was a good man and a well-regarded member of the Mount Vernon community who liked visiting with everyone in a variety of places. He loved attending the symphony and local theatre events with his wife. Roger had a great sense of humor, was a wonderful story teller, and his family treasured his joyful laughter.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Jeanne.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Arts Iowa Annual Fund to support Orchestra Iowa.
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In love and sympathy, Kerry & Dan, Aimee & Jamie, and Marilyn
Love to all. Jo
We grieve with you all in the loss of Uncle Roger. Sending our love.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Hi Nancy, I know it’s been a long time, but I wanted to reach out to you when I saw Roger had passed away. Sending you and your family my deepest sympathy at this very difficult time. Toni Neta
Our deepest condolences Carrie and family!
So sorry to hear of Roger’s passing. Didn’t get a chance to visit with him very often, but always enjoyed it when I did. A good person, who will be missed but remembered very fondly.
Bing, please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss… Our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. With love,
Was so sorry to hear of Roger passing away. We had worked together at Neal’s. We had a lot of great talks with each other during our time together. Roger was a great friend. My prayers are with Nancy and family. May you rest in peace my friend. Phil Akers
OH MY GOODNESS , I WAS SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT ROGER. HE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE WHEN YOU SAW HIM AND USUALLY A JOKE AND A CHUCKLE. HE DELIVERED WATER SOFTENER SALT TO US A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I FORGOT HE WOULD BE COMING AND DIDN’T HEAR HIM WALK IN THE BASEMENT. HE KNEW I DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS THERE AND WALKED UP QUIETLY BEHIND ME AND SAID HELL-O. SCARED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ME AND LAUGHED. MT. VERNON HAS LOST A SPECIAL MAN. MARSHA HEIMS
Roger was a well liked classmate who always had a friendly word or smile. I know he will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. My deepest sympathy to Nancy and family.
Love, The Torrens’: Gary & Arlene; Mike, Claudia, & family; Tim, Amy, & family; Deb & Steve; Jen & Todd Toepfer; & in loving memory of Jeanne Torrens
Nancy, family, John, Thelma and family, I’m so, so sorry to hear of Roger’s passing. What a neat guy he was, I always loved his laugh and he usually had something funny to say. Everyone loved Roger and you can all feel good about that. I loved his humor. Roger will be missed by so many Mt. Vernon people. He had a big heart. I’m sorry I won’t be able to be with you, but please know you all are in my thoughts and prayers. My sympathy, Annamae Baker
Jefferson Football would like to commemorate the life of Roger Rife and his family with the planting of a tree.
I’m very sorry to hear of Rogers passing. Roger was a great man and made me smile on a daily basis when we worked together at Neals. I’ll never forget the time I was lucky enough to spend with him, Rog will be truly be missed and was one of the best guys I’ve ever met!
With heartfelt condolences,
Dear Nancy and family, Steve and I send our condolences and are holding you in the light. In Roger’s memory we have made a contribution to Arts Iowa Annual Fund to support the Cedar Rapids Symphony.
Dear Nancy, Dick and I send much love and our heartfelt condolences to you and your family. A donation was made to Orchestra Iowa in remembrance of Roger.
Dear Rife family, I was so sorry to learn of Roger’s passing. Sending my sincere sympathy to each of you. May you take comfort in the good memories you made with Roger over the years. Nancy (Pisarik) Mulder
These trees are being planted in honor of Roger from the Clown Car.
I want to send my condolences to Roger’s family. He was certainly the nicest guy in my class. I left Mt. Vernon long ago, but I have a quick story about him. During grade school, we were required to take day-long standardized tests. After one lunch break, Roger and I began an arm wrestling contest. It went off for what seemed a long time, and the entire class looked on. Certainly the teacher was getting annoyed about it. And certainly the class was disappointed when we quit. Fred Starr