Roger L. Hexum

08/17/1941 — 07/21/2003

From West, Richland, WA, US | Born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Roger L. Hexum

Roger L. Hexum, 61, of West Richland, died Monday, July 21, 2003 after a long battle with lung cancer. Roger was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and moved with his family to the Tri-Cities in 1951.

Roger attended the Richland schools graduating in 1960 from Richland High. He played baseball, football, and track and was also a fan of cars - racing, working on them, remodeling them. Later he did some fishing and hunting, always loving the outdoors, good friends and family and good times. After graduating from high school, he was accepted as a welder/pipefitter apprentice for General Electric and became a Hanford employee where he worked until becoming a construction pipefitter for Local 598.

After an early retirement, Roger discovered GOLF!!! He loved this sport and continued to golf as long as the chemo treatments would allow. About the only thing that could change a tee-time was spending time with one or more of his three little grandkids.

Roger is survived by his wife, Carol, son Roger Jr. and his daughter Lanae of Richland, daughter Terri Mars and her husband, Mike and their children Mikayla and Joshua of West Richland. He is also survived by brothers Jerry, Gerry Pam, Steve Cindy, Rick and Mark all of the Tri-Cites and his sister Pat Smith of Yakima. He also leaves behind a kijillion nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and cousins from Minnesota Hexums to California Kenitzers to Finley Henjums. Other survivors include his mother-in-law, Alma Perkins, Kennewick, brother-in-law, Ron Perkins Marlene of LaGrande, Oregon and sister-in-law, Jo Ann Naff Ray of Salem, Oregon.

Preceding Roger in death were his parents Martin and Lorraine Hexum, his father-in-law, Ernie Perkins, and nephew, Todd Hexum. Viewing will be at Einan's from 5-8 on Thursday and Friday. A memorial service will be held at the Richland Lutheran Church beginning at 10:30 AM on Saturday, July 26, 2003. In lieu of flowers please donate to Stop Cancer, Tri-Cities Cancer Center, Kennewick, Richland Lutheran Church, Richland, WA or to your favorite charity.

Rest in peace Big Guy, we all know you're in a better place with no more pain or fear.

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Roger L. Hexum

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  • The one thing that sticks out in my mind through Rogers illness is the attitude of him and his family. I believe that if attitude determined your time here on earth, they would all surely be here for eternity. Roger was a wonderful man, cousin and friend. I only would see him at family get-togethers, which he attended right up to the end, and occasionally at his house, but it seemed that we could get right into the “teasing” one another mode really fast., I teased him about his lack of hair, and he always would remind me of the fact that we were only 6 months apart, so when he turned 60, he didn’t forget all that night that I was going to be there right with him in a few months. I have remembrances of Roger through high school, all of them are precious, I loved him very much and I will always remember the good times with him. God has taken him home and has reunited him with some pretty wonderful people there. Rog and his Mom Lorraine will definitely find the best smorgie” and be there every week….We all loved to go to them, eat until we busted, gossiped, and just enjoyed being together. I will misss you Cos….

    Love Kaylene

    Kaylene Livingston
    November 4, 2014
    Kennewick, WA, US
  • Carol and Family,

    We learned about Roger too late to be there.However Pat’s memories will be a constant reminder of the friendship that had lasted a very long time.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    Love

    Pat & Marcia

    Pat & Marcia Thompson
    November 4, 2014
    Scottsdale, AZ, US
  • To the Hexum Family;

    my deepest sympathies on your loss. I was a teammate of Roger’s, playing baseball with him on regular and all-star teams from 1956 through 1960 and football from 1957 through 1959. He was a “great guy” and good friend. When I first met Roger he was a year ahead of me on By’s Burgers, a Pony league team. He spent time helping me, even though he was a Carmicheal Cougar and I was a Chief Joseph Warrior. Later during our Senior year during the football season, when I did some stupid things which threatened our teams solidarity he gave me some excellent advice and support. Our last competition was at the class of 1960’s 20th year alumni reunion, when he beat me out for the class of 60 graduate who had lost the most hair. Although he was probably unfairly elected, as he pointed out to me, it was harder to see his blond hair than my dark hair.

    I shall miss his wit and humor. Hail and farewell, fellow Richland Bomber.

    Dennis Waltman RHS 1960

    Dennis Waltman
    November 4, 2014
    Redmond, WA, US
  • The one thing that sticks out in my mind through Rogers illness is the attitude of him and his family. I believe that if attitude determined your time here on earth, they would all surely be here for eternity. Roger was a wonderful man, cousin and friend. I only would see him at family get-togethers, which he attended right up to the end, and occasionally at his house, but it seemed that we could get right into the “teasing” one another mode really fast., I teased him about his lack of hair, and he always would remind me of the fact that we were only 6 months apart, so when he turned 60, he didn’t forget all that night that I was going to be there right with him in a few months. I have remembrances of Roger through high school, all of them are precious, I loved him very much and I will always remember the good times with him. God has taken him home and has reunited him with some pretty wonderful people there. Rog and his Mom Lorraine will definitely find the best smorgie” and be there every week….We all loved to go to them, eat until we busted, gossiped, and just enjoyed being together. I will misss you Cos….

    Love Kaylene

    Kaylene Livingston
    November 4, 2014
    Kennewick, WA, US
  • Carol and Family,

    We learned about Roger too late to be there.However Pat’s memories will be a constant reminder of the friendship that had lasted a very long time.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    Love

    Pat & Marcia

    Pat & Marcia Thompson
    November 4, 2014
    Scottsdale, AZ, US
  • To the Hexum Family;

    my deepest sympathies on your loss. I was a teammate of Roger’s, playing baseball with him on regular and all-star teams from 1956 through 1960 and football from 1957 through 1959. He was a “great guy” and good friend. When I first met Roger he was a year ahead of me on By’s Burgers, a Pony league team. He spent time helping me, even though he was a Carmicheal Cougar and I was a Chief Joseph Warrior. Later during our Senior year during the football season, when I did some stupid things which threatened our teams solidarity he gave me some excellent advice and support. Our last competition was at the class of 1960’s 20th year alumni reunion, when he beat me out for the class of 60 graduate who had lost the most hair. Although he was probably unfairly elected, as he pointed out to me, it was harder to see his blond hair than my dark hair.

    I shall miss his wit and humor. Hail and farewell, fellow Richland Bomber.

    Dennis Waltman RHS 1960

    Dennis Waltman
    November 4, 2014
    Redmond, WA, US
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