Roger L. Towne

JEFFERSON - Roger L. Towne of Jefferson, MA passed away suddenly at the age of 77, in Denver, Colorado while visiting family for Thanksgiving. He is survived by his wife, Susan Landess Towne of Jefferson, MA; son, Gordon Towne and his wife Olivia Kalmanson of Denver, CO; sister, Deborah Schofield and her husband Pat Bedker of Wichita, Kansas. And of course, his beloved rescue dogs, Ariel and Cheyenne. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Gretchen DeBree; parents, Donald and Alice Towne, and brother, Jeffrey Towne. Roger was born in Elizabeth, NJ. on January 9, 1945 and has enjoyed living many places throughout the United States before settling in Massachusetts.

Roger retired as Professor Emeritus of Communication Sciences and Disorders from Worcester State University in July of this year, where he had been teaching since 2004. Roger received a bachelor’s degree in 1965, and master’s degree from the University of Montana. He went on to further his education and received a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1981. After college in 1965, Roger first worked as an elementary-middle school teacher above the arctic circle in the small village of Selawik, Alaska. Upon returning to the lower 48, he practiced as a Speech Language Pathologist in hospitals and schools in Montana for several years before moving to Southern Illinois to pursue a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Since receiving his degree, he has been a professor at various universities, first at Missouri State University, followed by Illinois State University, and then Northern Michigan University where he was department chair. He had been at Worcester State University since 2004.

Roger was a lover of the outdoors and all animals, especially those that could fly or needed to be rescued. He knew his birds and made sure they were all well fed, along with a few other guests in the yard.

Roger was a very active volunteer at Worcester Animal Rescue League for several years where he adopted his beloved best friends Katerina, Ariel, and Cheyenne. During the pandemic Roger volunteered every day, 7 days a week for 6 months to help care for the animals there.

Roger worked hard and was a wonderful vegetable gardener. Each year he planted, cultivated, harvested, and preserved a variety of vegetables that lasted throughout the year.

Roger was also known for his cooking skills and was the designated chef for Thanksgiving dinners. Luckily, he has passed that skill on to his son.

Roger's family will be holding a visitation at Miles-Sterling Funeral and Tribute Center at 100 Worcester Rd, Sterling, MA on Saturday, December 3 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Worcester Animal Rescue League online at https://worcesterarl.org/donate/ , where Roger was a dedicated volunteer.

To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit his tribute wall.