Tributes and Memorials
A birthday remembrance on September 17, 2024. Roger would have turned 75 on this day.
Roger often spoke of his phone calls and conversations with his best friend Randy Poe.
Today, on Roger’s birthday, Randy posted this on Facebook:
From the Sing Out! website, a tribute by Mark Moss, Editor
A Tribute for Roger’s Memorial on May 14, 2024
Beloved by so many, Roger was the best friend of more people than anyone else I’ve ever known. He had a gentle, wise, and caring way about him that made him feel like family. He was the master of the witty comment or the humorous story and a wonderful conversationalist.
Around 2006, I offered to build a website for Roger. After considering it for a bit, he agreed, and we built his website together. As you can imagine, there was no dearth of wonderful copy and a most amazing and captivating photo collection that provided plenty of material for the website. Roger offered a color palette and guidance on pages and placements. What a wonderful person to build a website for!
Running for almost 20 years now, that old site was holding by a thread, and I think Roger was the thread that kept it running. Just a few weeks ago, the website ended up in quarantine and it was time to finally update it or let it go. I am not inclined to let it go, just as I am yet incapable of letting Roger go. Knowing he is free of sparkles, discomfort, and a failing heart is the only consolation. With so many best friends to hold him, may his memory continue as a blessing to all of us.
In recent years, Roger made sure to remember the birthdays and anniversaries of so many other folk music luminaries. He kept alive the memories of others, and now is our turn to remember him as well. Oddly, this memorial event by his dear friend Rick Ilowite seems to be the only one offered so far, and I am grateful for this assemblage today.
Several years ago, Roger commemorated the birthday of the late Pete Seeger by offering a collection of his RagTag columns for Sing Out! Magazine written by Roger and illustrated by his dear friend Ed Courrier, a genius of an artist and cartoonist. You can download a copy of this 64-page PDF at Roger’s new website at the same old URL, rogerdeitz.com. Roger’s color palette and all the writings and wonderful photos are still presented there with a brand new website foundation. I think Roger would approve of it.
As Roger would say, Be well,
Sue Deckhart
It’s been over one year since Roger’s passing on 12/17/2023. Roger’s friends are working on raising funds for a memorial plaque and granite base for Roger’s grave at King Solomon Memorial Park in Clifton, NJ. There is a Deitz family section there, and he is at rest with his beloved sister, Sandy, Sandy’s husband, and Roger’s Uncle David. We need your help to raise the needed funds, as there is no family left to contribute.
We are so close to the amount we need. The engraver said the memorial stone cannot be placed until spring, when the ground is not frozen. Here is the link to the GoFundMe, organized by Roger’s very good friend, Rick Ilowite. Thank you so very much to all who have donated.