Rollo Burnell Sligar
June 9, 1928 – April 30, 2018
Rollo Sligar
Rollo Burnell Sligar was born June 9, 1928, in Hansen, Idaho, the youngest child of Ernest David and Mary Emmazette Sligar’s large family. His childhood included working on the family farm, gathering sagebrush for his mother’s cook-stove, working horses, and hunting. He remained fond of horses for the rest of his life. As a young man he played piano and violin.
He met the love of his life in 1946 when Inez Millie
Rollo and Inez
Rosen was just 15. They were married on September 4, 1947 in Elko, 
Nevada. Although Inez was only 16 and did not have her family’s permission, her father Ted Rosen forgave them and remained a good friend to his son-in-law for the rest of his life.
With marriage, Rollo began a series of many jobs 
including working at a sugar plant and building the Lower Salmon Dam. Daughter Priscilla Ann was born on September 11, 1948 and Christine Inez was born March 28, 1950.
In the winter of 1950/51 Rollo moved the family to Seattle, WA where he had obtained a position as an airplane mechanic at the Boeing 
Co. Daniel Rene’ was born on November 3, 1951, and Loretta June was born August 19, 1953. In 1954 the family moved to their home in Bothell, WA.
Although he was taken out of school after grade 8, Rollo’s high intelligence and mechanical ability allowed him to pursue various jobs including mechanic, bus driver for Seattle Metro, able seaman on a seagoing U.S. Army tug, burner in the Boeing Developmental Center, and finally a member of the Boilermakers union building and repairing ships, cranes, dams, oil refineries, pipelines, a milk dehydrating plant, and nuclear reactors. After retiring in the early 1990s, he applied his skills at the Saddle Mountain Winery maintaining equipment and building catwalks in the building. He enjoyed working and solving problems and could usually fix anything when he set his mind to it.
Rollo was happiest learning new things, liked to read, and remained a lifelong learner. He was tested for a GED later in life and scored very high based upon his general knowledge. He also worked diligently on any task and often held more than one job at a time. His foremost priority was to take care of his family, Inez in particular.
Last year his prostate cancer metastasized and compromised his bones along with the results of some spinal injuries such that he could no longer walk. This forced his admission to long-term care at the Bethany Silver Lake skilled nursing facility in Everett, WA. He was not happy being immobilized in a back brace and being separated from Inez. Still he made friends among the staff and patients and was well-liked. He read several books while he was there, and called Inez frequently on the phone.
She spent the last weekend at his bedside and he passed away Monday, April 30, 2018, when he seemed to be feeling better. He remained alert and fully aware until his last hour.
Rollo is survived by his wife of 70 years, Inez, and children Priscilla, Christine and Daniel as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
2 Responses to “Rollo Burnell Sligar”
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I was so impressed by his intelligence and by his warmth. He was a gem of a man. And a great storyteller. It’s a true pleasure to have known him.
Dearest Inez & Family –
I hold very fond loving memories of Rollo! Rollo was always a gentle, kind, and loving man, and very interesting to be around for his mind was full of good educational information! I dearly thank Rollo for taking me out when I was a young teenager on my first large boat ride on the Puget Sound in his nice boat, and such a wonderful and beautiful experience this was!
May Rollo the Spirit’s journey through the White Light to go to our Heavenly Home be wonderful & beautiful!!!
Always – Lots of Love to Rollo the Spirit, to my dear beautiful fun and loving older cousin Inez, & to cousins Priscilla, Christine, Daniel, and Family!!!
Your cousin, Sally Ann (Petersen) West and her family- Duane, Meghan, Levi, & Alexandra ‘Lexy’ –
~ Pathways ~
On a camping outing in the mountains,
I find myself, one bright clear morning, taking in all the beauty of this forest home.
I let myself wander to a small path, made by many of the woodland creatures.
Being so at peace in this setting of nature’s magic, I find myself daydreaming about paths.
I reflect upon what this path and the many other paths of this world really mean to us all.
We started this path of life as pathfinders, making a way for our futures,
Be it on land, the ocean depths, or out in space.
Throughout life we learn of all the many paths that we can take,
And we are taught to try to stay on the straight and narrow path.
In our day to day lives we are constantly creating paths to take,
Going along a path from one idea to another,
Moving along a path to recovery from an illness,
And living by the paths of the stars, and also the sun and moon.
All of nature travels along paths, moving from stage to stage,
The birds, monarchs, and salmon follow the paths paved by their parents and before them,
To live and to create for the next generation.
Blood and air moves through the passages of the bodies of the living,
As does the nutrients of the soil move through the bodies of plants giving the world life.
I now awaken from my daydreaming,
And find my feet have carried me to the end of this woodland path.
My soul soars as I take in this beholding tranquil sight,
Of a crystal-blue lake and a soft-green meadow.
Is this the way it is at one’s life of pathways, the body lays down for its final rest,
And the spirit begins its path to the serenity of the white light,
Where at the end the Creator waits for us?
Yes, all the pathways of the road of life are made and cleared by the Creator,
To help and teach us the lessons of pros and cons,
For us physically, mentally, and spiritually to learn and grow.
And at the very end to return on the pathway to the crystal-soft white light,
To our loving Pathfinder.
Meghan Orelene West
Iliad Press, Inc. (Cader Publishing), -won publish recognition in the Winter 1998 Pathways Anthology book, and won Honorable Mention in the Winter 1998 awards program, in the Pathways Anthology book and the Summer 1998 Feelings Anthology book. Won the 1999 President’s Recognition of Literary Excellence in the Distinctions of Excellence Anthology book.