William C. Rolland

(Youngstown) - Beloved husband, father, and community leader, William C. Rolland, 69, of Youngstown, NY, died peacefully Thursday, December 4, 2008 at Hospice House in Lockport, after a short illness.Bill was born April 27, 1939 in Clifton Springs, NY, son of the late Charles R. and Alice C. Rolland. He attended Clifton Springs High School and graduated with a BS in Agricultural Engineering from Cornell University in 1961. He later received an MBA from the University of Minnesota. From 1961 to 1963, he served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Germany as a 2nd Lieutenant. His career took him from John Deere Company to Donaldson Company in Minneapolis, where he was transferred to Brussels, Belgium for three years. He later worked for Fram Corporation in Rhode Island and Solarex in Maryland. He was Vice President of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) in Washington, DC until 1995, when he took early retirement to return to upstate New York.His contributions to the Youngstown and Niagara Falls communities were many, including Habitat for Humanity, Youngstown Presbyterian Church, Youngstown Lions Club, Residents for Responsible Government, the RAB, SCORE business advisor and Town of Porter Planning Board. As president of Rolland Development Corporation, he and his wife, Mary Ann, restored eight historic houses in Youngstown, Wilson, Niagara Falls and Lewiston. He received the Joan E. Gipp Award for Community Service for the Environment, a NY State Legislature Citation from Francine DelMonte and a “Beautiful Senior” Award from the Niagara Beautification Commission, all in 2008. He also spent three weeks rebuilding houses in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Ann Tower; daughter, Stacey Rolland of Bodega Bay, CA; and son, Gregory T. Rolland of Easthampton, MA. His three grandchildren are Sally, Daisy and Charlotte. He is also survived by brothers, Roy (Kay) Rolland of Geneva, NY and Fruita, CO, and Tom (Barbara) Rolland of Montpelier, VT; and seven nieces and nephews.A Memorial Service will be held Monday, December 8th at 10:00 AM at the Youngstown Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in North Ridge Cemetery, Town of Cambria at the family’s convenience. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Residents for Responsible Government, The Rolland Community Foundation Scholarship Fund, Niagara Hospice or a charity of one’s choice.Visit www.legacy.com/niagara-gazettefor on-line guest register.