By james art
Marvin Roelke
Courtesy of the Village of Bloomingdale
Marvin Rock loved Bloomingdale’s and was deeply committed to serving it in a variety of ways, including volunteering with the police department.
“He was a true gentleman and patriot. He served our country and our community with great dedication,” village Public Safety Director Frank Giammarese said Friday.
Roehlke, 91, died Thursday morning in a car accident in Glendale Heights. His wife, who was also injured, remains hospitalized, according to a village news release.
The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 2000 block of Glen Ellyn Road, south of Army Trail Road. Roehlke, who was driving, turned left from a private driveway and was struck. Roehlke’s car spun and overturned, according to Glendale Heights police.
“Marvin was a very good man with a big heart. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and loved ones,” Glendale Heights Police Chief George Pappas said.
Roehlke was a military police officer in the Army during the Korean War. He moved his family to Bloomingdale in 1962, according to the village.
He was a part-time police officer in Bloomingdale in 1963 and 1964.
Roehlke worked for AT&T. At the same time, he served almost 12 years on the Bloomingdale District 13 School Board, including six years as president.
He participated in the Neighborhood Watch program for many years and was a longtime member of the Lions Club and the American Legion, according to the village.
In 1999, he began volunteering with the police department as its Senior Volunteer Program Coordinator. According to a 2017 release from the village, he has given more than 17,000 hours of service to the department. He received the TRIAD Illinois Senior Citizen Volunteer Award for his work.
He retired several years ago, Giammarese said. But he was still interested in what was going on.
“He gave me advice in his later years by sending me letters – the old way of communication – very formal, and I always took them with a smile. He will be missed,” Giammarese said.
In 2017, the village named the street he lived on “Honorary Marv Roelke Lane” in his honor.