Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Roger was proud to grow up in the small town of East Palestine, OH where he graduated from East Palestine High School in 1961 and also earned the rank of Eagle Scout. While in high school he placed second in the Ohio State Driving Rodeo. He completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan in 1965 and earned a PhD in metallurgical engineering at Ohio State University in 1970.
While at U of M Roger was a member of a science and engineering fraternity where he was noted for his great sense of humor and the fact that he had the East Palestine Daily Leader newspaper delivered to the fraternity house. Roger also resided in Columbus, OH and Media, PA before settling in Glenside and later Warminster, PA.
After receiving his doctorate, Roger relocated to the Philadelphia area to take a job with the Franklin Institute. He was then hired by Betz Laboratories in Trevose, PA where he worked in research and development. While at Betz he and colleagues were granted several U.S. and European patents for the invention of Dianodic II and other chemical treatments that prevent corrosion in industrial water cooling systems. Roger continued to work for this company (which was later acquired by GE) until his retirement in 2008.
Roger enjoyed the outdoors, camping, and traveling, especially when he could travel by car. He was a car enthusiast, having a passion for automobiles and driving experiences. When his children were young, he took the family on a five week summer road trip to the West Coast in a Volkswagen camper bus; the vacation included visits to St. Louis, the Grand Canyon, Disneyland, San Francisco, the Great Salt Lake, Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, and the Grand Tetons.
He also spent much time in Maine, Cape May, NJ, and Key West, FL. An avid Beatles fan, Roger amassed a huge collection of music by artists from every genre during his lifetime. His deep appreciation of music led him to upgrade to new music players as soon as they became available because he loved the way higher quality sound systems enhanced his favorite songs. In addition to his love of cars and music, Roger was a big fan of technology in general and Apple products specifically. He was among the early investors in Apple, Inc. and successively owned many (if not all) of the products developed by the company.
Roger prided himself on his ability to find innovative approaches to daily tasks that made life easier and more pleasant for himself and the people he loved; if you wanted to know anything from the best way to load a dishwasher to the most efficient driving route from point A to point B, he was the one to ask. Roger was an avid jogger and connoisseur of gourmet meals, especially those prepared by his wife Lisa. He found humor in everyday life, was generous with his enthusiastic encouragement and supportive words, and had a hearty, genuine, infectious laugh that delighted all who knew him.
He will be deeply missed by his wife Lisa May, daughter Cathleen (Aubrey) Moyer, son Chris (Jaun) May, grandchildren Alex, Sam, Aiden and Avery, as well as many cousins and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents Pauline and Cletus May, and the mother of his children Susan May.
Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing 10:00 to 12:00pm Wednesady, Janary 8, 2025 followed by his serive at 12:00 pm at John F. Fluehr and Sons Funeral Home, 3301 Cottman Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19149. Interment will take place at Forest Hills cemetery after the service.
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