Roller highlights Take 2 Bonus
Larry Modesitt
You'll hear that the music is beautiful. That should be no surprise, as Joe loved music. The selections, however, did diverge significantly from his trombone with his Dixieland band.
The priest provided a realistic interpretation of Joe, beginning that he was an “attending physician.” He paid attention, not only to his patients, but to the world around him. He felt a responsibility for the world and all that’s in it—such as the birds, land, and sea.
In conclusion, Tom paid a remarkable tribute to his dad, capturing him well, which is not easy to do. Especially moving was Joe’s message to Tom, which is a good message to all of us.
Enjoy!
But since my last post skunked you, here's a Roller bonus. On November 19, 2010, Joe found a gull at Cherry Creek State Park. Glenn Walbek and Cole Wild identified it as a Ross’s Gull, a very rare gull. Bill Kaempfer researched that it had only been seen on a Christmas Count--somewhere in North America--twice in 110 years.
For verification, Joe hailed a fisherman, asked if he'd ferry the three of them out to the middle of the lake --for fifty bucks--to get photos of that gull. Their Colorado-pelagic trip produced stunning documentation, several of you probably came from far and wide to see it, and the fisherman’s wife finally got evidence that her husband’s fishing could pay off.
For the full story, go to Cobirds.org, click on Colorado Birds, Read Colorado Birds, 2010-2019 File Folder, then 2011 April, finally page 108. The full story is indicative of Joe's dedication to birding, his persistence, and his resourcefulness.
The true rarity wasn't the Ross's Gull. It was Joe Roller.
RIP, friend.
Larry Modesitt, Arvada