Rolland O. Westra

Our wonderful father, Rolland O. Westra, went to meet his heavenly father on October 6, 2021 surrounded by his children, their spouses and grandchildren. He had been battling leukemia (CLL) for the past 6 years but over recent weeks, his 88 year-old body could no longer fight the additional illness of pneumonia that developed.

In a journal of his life written several years ago which he entitled, “My Blessed Life--The Good and the Bad,” he described his humble beginnings in Northwest Iowa as the eldest of five children born to Cornelius (Con) and Ethel (Torkelson) Westra.

Rolland was born on November 19, 1932, in Beloit, Iowa, the son of Cornelious and Ethel (Torkelson) Westra. Rolland was a veteran of the Army serving during the Korean War. He married LaVonne C. Kroon on December 11, 1956, in Luverne, MN. LaVonne passed away in Rockford on September 21, 2017. Rolland was a mechanical engineer receiving his Master’s degree in automotive engineering. He worked at Atwood Vacuum Machine Company and most recently was the Director of the Tech Center at Rock Valley College until his retirement.

Survived by his children, Jay (Mari) Westra of Cherry Valley, Corey (Barbara) Westra of Granger, IN, and Kim (Steve) Donovan of Roscoe; his grandchildren, Natalie (Greg) Clough, Betsy (fiancé, Dan Krueger) Donovan, Nicole (fiancé, Dalton Kellett) Westra, and Mitchell Westra; his sisters, Delores Schlotfeldt, Betty Herreid, and Twyla Kroger; many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his wife, LaVonne; his brother and sister-in-law, Verlyn and Sheila Westra, his brothers-in-law, Gale Schlotfeldt, Charlie Herreid, and Glen Kroger.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 3300 Rural St. with Reverend Rob James officiating. For those that cannot attend the service please visit www.facebook.com/oslcrockford/live to view it. Burial in Scandinavian Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. until 10:45 A.M. on Wednesday at the church.

In lieu in flowers, memorials may be made in Rolland’s name to Central Christian Church, 6595 Guilford Rd. Rockford, IL 61107 https://www.cccrockford.org/give-online/ and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Illinois Chapter PO Box 772386, Detroit, MI 48277-2386. https://www.lls.org/il.

Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory. Share online memories and condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com