October 15, 1958 – February 13, 2026
at the age of 67 years:     

Roger Eric Joseph Roy, aged 67, passed away on February 13, 2026 at the Shuswap Lake General Hospital (Salmon Arm, BC), with his loving wife at his side.  He was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his sister Jocelyne (Edmonton), brother David (Prince George) and wife Marlene of 35 years.

Roger was always a going concern. As he grew up in Prince George, he was an active member of the Scouts, eventually achieving the highest award (Queen Scout) within the movement.  At age 13, one of their adventures was a river boat trip to retrace the route of Simon Fraser, portaging the river boat for many miles.  Their troop went above and beyond the usual discipline and achievement.  These experiences helped to mold him as a person. 

He worked a variety of jobs out of high school, including managing a bar at the age of 19.  In his early twenties, he went to the College of New Caledonia to get his Welding ticket.  One of his first jobs was at a gold mine (Echo Bay Mines), located on Contwoyto Lake, 90 km south of the Arctic Circle.

Eventually, he ended up in Calgary where he met Marlene at a Ski Club in 1984.  They were married on September 22, 1990 in Calgary.

Roger was always involved in sports. During his school years, he played basketball, was in the swim club, and played baseball.  One year, he hit the home run to win the Little League championship. He continued to play softball in Calgary, eventually winning a City Championship in 1997 with a group of friends.

One of his greatest loves was racquetball, playing for many years at Thorncliffe Greenview Community Centre in Calgary and then at Roster’s in Vernon.  He made many friends through the racquetball community.

He also enjoyed golfing, taking out a membership at the Salmon Arm Golf Course upon retirement and playing 3 or 4 times a week.  Although a hole-in-one would be a highlight for any golfer, Roger never bragged about the one he made on the 7th hole – that was just the way he was.

Roger was never afraid to tackle a new project.  He did his own vehicle maintenance and many house renovations. Upon retirement to Salmon Arm in 2013, he finally got the workshop he dreamed of. This inspired him to custom design and build new kitchen cabinets for their home.

Roger did a lot of travelling over the years.  With his wife, he enjoyed 3 ocean cruises (Caribbean, Panama Canal, Baltic Sea), as well as a river cruise in Europe.  There were trips to the UK, South America and multiple trips to Europe.  Camping was also something he looked forward to.  The longest trip was in “Vicky”, the camper van, which took 3 months across Canada and back.  Roger said it was the best trip they had ever taken and recommended that every Canadian see their own country.

Roger was 10th generation Canadian on his Dad’s side and his Mom’s family was already here when they arrived.  He wore that as a badge of honour and was fiercely Canadian.  One of the trips to Europe involved walking on Juno Beach.  Another included attendance at the 100th anniversary ceremony of the battle of Vimy Ridge – Canada’s most celebrated military victory.

When life threw him a curve ball, he never complained or burdened anyone with his troubles.  He survived cancer in his late twenties, 2 heart attacks, open heart surgery and many other bumps along the road. Through his final illness, he would just say “you have to play the cards you are dealt”.  

Being the quiet guy he was, he often surprised people with his sense of humour.  When he was with a group of people, he made each and every one feel important.  He was generous with his time and willing to help anyone.

There are no words strong enough to express how much he was loved and how much he will be missed.

Thank you to the Oncology Department of Shuswap Lake General Hospital for their care and concern during the last few months, and to the staff of Level 2 who were so attentive during his last few days.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring.

Donations can be made, in his name, to the Shuswap Lake General Hospital.