Obituary: Roeder, Kaye
Age 67
She was a joyous and kind person who loved, laughed and accepted.
She cherished all of you; her friends.
She was the best friend you could have.
Those of us who knew her could feel her love.
She was fun, caring and deeply compassionate.
When you had a victory, she was as excited as you.
When you had a failure, she saw what you gained.
She had honor: The honor to love openly and with a full heart.
She made a grand entrance to everyone’s life and her conversations were interesting and funny.
She loved to read books and explore the unknown possibilities of the world.
Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, 1946, her family soon returned to Asotin, the origin of familial generations on her mother’s side; Newell.
She graduated Asotin High School and married Ros Rognstad at the age of 18.
Together they had one daughter.
After six years of marriage and an end to that love, she married Paul Merrill of Lewiston who went on to successfully sue the United States Government for using U.S. soldiers as unaware participants in their experiments with Agent Orange in Vietnam.
She supported his challenges through mental and physical recuperation and in challenging the Government’s cover-up.
Together they had a son.
After their marriage, she married Ronald Hayes of Clarkston and they had a special and beautiful life together for 13 years.
She then married Nicholas Roeder of Clarkston whom she loved very much to her last day.
She attended Spokane Falls Community College earning a degree in Interior design.
She was a gifted artist whose works now grace the halls of family, friends and teachers.
At the time of her death, she was designing the interior of what would have been her new home: A three story renovation of a 1925 Normal Hill house.
She was also a CNA and used her skill to care for her aunt, Bonnie Canning.
She spent many years as a waitress in the Lewiston Clarkston Valley and Spokane and innumerable people were touched by her kindness through that service.
She is survived by her husband, Nicholas Roeder; daughter, Mia Lyn Rognstad Wexler; son, Zachariah Benjamin Merrill; sister-in-law, Sharon Hayes; brother-in-law, Gary Hayes; grandson, Ozzy Wexler; aunt, Bonnie Canning; sister, Polly Busch Schetzel; second father William Busch and many cousins, nephews and friends.
She will be missed and cherished in our hearts as a true person of joy.
Deceased’s funeral arrangements: Malcom Brower Funeral Home of Lewiston is handling the arrangements.
There will be a graveside gathering at Vineland Cemetery in Clarkston, Saturday at 11 am and a celebration of her soul will be held on Sunday, December 15 at Sonary Crest Clubhouse in the Clarkston Heights at 2 pm.
Please join us!