Roger Gordon Lord

Roger Gordon Lord, late of Burlington NJ and Hollywood, FL, reluctantly shuffled off his mortal coil after a protracted battle with Congestive Heart Failure.  Born October 10, 1935, he was preceded in death by his parents, Harold P and Gladys (nee Hibbits) Lord; brother Ronald Lord, nephew Ross David Lord and many, many friends.  He leaves to honor his memory daughters Francene (Scott) Wohlstein and Cindie (Charlie) Harp, as well as grandsons Griffin Harp, Max (Mallory Creekmur) Harp, Cooper Harp and Izak Lord-Wohlstein.  Both Charlie and Scott were the sons of his heart rather than simply sons-in-law and received all the benefits and challenges thereof.  He also leaves to cherish his memory sister-in-law Barbara Lord, niece Heather Lord, 3 great nieces and nephews, one great grand niece and 2 great grand nephews.  The family would like to thank devoted friends Glenn McCrum and Jennifer, Tom and Veronica Spivey for all their devoted love and care.  Neighbors John and Joanne Lontz and Carol Bennett were essential helpmates and caring friends.  Roger also leaves his high school sweetheart, Sandra (nee Segal) Lord, his devoted bride of 64 years. She was the love of his life, and theirs an epic love story for the ages. His story is really their story, as they met in high school and embarked on a life of love, adventure and achievement.  They met in then-Mount Holly High School as freshman, where he annoyed her initially with his bawdy humor and squeaky corduroys.  Fortunately for him, she eventually succumbed to his insistent charm.  After high school, Roger spent a fun-filled year at Rutgers University in New Brunswick as a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brother.  He then found work on the Saint Lawrence Seaway as an engineer for Day & Zimmerman,  so he and Sandy moved to Messena, NY where she worked as a nurse after receiving her RN from Thomas Jefferson University.  Following their New York gigs, Roger was drafted into the Army Signal Corps in 1958 and was stationed in Fort Monmouth.  While Roger faithfully, if somewhat reluctantly, served his country as an instructor in the Signal Corps, Sandy again worked as a nurse in surrounding hospitals, also faithfully but not reluctantly.  Both made life-long friends, all of whom remained devoted to both of them until the end of life, either theirs or now, his.  Roger used his innovative mind at General Motors until he fulfilled his dream of owning his own business and ventured out on his own.  He ran Roger Lord Machine Tool Control to great success for many years.  Somehow this often involved asking his wife and daughters to drive to Tab Electric in Trenton at rush hour on Friday afternoon, to which they always complied.  He also hired recent graduates from the local Vo-Tech high school and mentored them in work and life with patience, kindness, colorful language and love. Each hire became part of the family, which included Harold and Gladys.  Always and forever, he was a farmer, first at the feet of his father, Harold; then after and until the end of his life.  He drove a tractor for almost the entirety of his life — albeit falling off it in the last years and asking his neighbors and friends John Lontz and Art Stanley to help him up and put him back on.  In between his youth and old age, he gave rides to his children and grandchildren, creating loving memories that all will cherish.  He was one who always knew the value of fun and made sure he filled his and Sandy’s lives  with travel;  piloting his own plane, making and flying his own gliders, scuba diving, speed boating and driving a motor cycle and RV, though not at the same time.  Roger was active in civic life, and served on the Springfield Township School board, which he and his children attended, eventually becoming president.  He led the school district in capital improvements and academic achievement heretofore unseen in its history.  He was also involved in local politics, always standing up for his and his neighbors’ rights and values.  He was steadfast in loyalty and integrity, often eschewing the easy path for what he thought was right.  He often paid the price for holding on to his high standards, but would have it no other way.  You always knew where he stood, and frequently, what he thought of you.  He was an indefatigable son, husband, father, grandfather and friend;  naturalist, pilot, creator and repairman, engineer and draftsman, manufacturer and organizer.  There was nothing he could not do, and those who knew him well trusted him in all situations, with all things.  Arrangements are entrusted to Page Funeral Home in Burlington, NJ.  The family will have a memorial service at a later date.  Donations may be made to contributor’s favorite charity.  The family asks only that people raise a glass to Roger and his merry, maddening ways.  Overachievers may add a round of “In heaven, there is no beer.”  We sincerely hope that sentiment is not the case, but you never know.

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