Roger Frank Corliss

Roger Frank Corliss, son of Frank Nathan and Hazel Lorraine (Dutcher) Corliss, was born November 7, 1940, in Hebron, Nebraska. He lost his valiant 20-year battle with multiple myeloma on October 8. 2020, at McKee Medical Center, Loveland, Colorado at the age of 79.

Roger grew up in Hebron, Nebraska, with his four sisters, Marjorie, Peggy, Nancy, and Barbara attending Hebron High School where he was a stand-out athlete all through his high school years. He excelled in track and field events, baseball, basketball, and football and was well known in Southeastern Nebraska for his athleticism. His proud mother made a scrapbook filled with newspaper article clippings and saved all his jacket "letters." When crowned Prom King in his senior year, he looked "dashing" in his dirty football uniform at half-time during the game!

In 1959, Roger married Arlene Day and they started their family in Hebron. Sadly, their firstborn daughter, Laura, was stillborn. However, soon they welcomed Roger Wayne, followed by Rory Alan and finally Jody Gaye. A beautiful young wife and budding family focused Roger's attention on developing a career in sales. Using the charm he honed in his high school days, he opened a clothing store in Hebron and appealed to the fashion style of the day. He was involved with the local Jaycees chapter and acted in melodramas to raise money for charities.

Staying in one place was not easy for Roger, and he discovered that he had a knack for chatting and visiting with farmers and soon was traveling around Southeastern Nebraska selling electric fencers, then subscriptions to farm magazines, and finally insurance.

Roger and Arlene divorced in 1972 and he moved to Colorado where he continued his career in sales. The lure of the mountains, hunting, fishing, and something new was all Roger needed to keep his curiosity going.

Roger married Kathleen Lawless in 1977 and soon they welcomed Krista Kathleen to their family. They lived in Sterling and then in Falcon, Colorado where he tried his hand at carpentry and built their home. He continued sales with the Colorado Rancher and Farmer, however, to keep moving and to supplement income. They divorced in 1985.

In 1989 when Roger was living in Fort Collins, he was set up on a blind date with Mary Ann Fisketjon and in 1991 they married and blended their families. Roger continued selling insurance for a while, but then went to work at a bank managing supplies and providing courier services. He was doing this when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2000. Seeking the best treatment was paramount, and Roger took his doctor's advice and went to Little Rock, Arkansas for it. He received tandem stem cell transplants there in 2003 after which he achieved full remission for 7 years. Again in 2010, he received his final stem cell transplant after which he again achieved full remission for just over 8 years.

During Roger's times in remission he found his "voice" for cancer and a calling to speak. He found that the more he talked about his diagnosis the easier he could cope with it. He spoke to newly diagnosed folks and gave them hope, he spoke to men's groups about the importance of regular check-ups, and he spoke to groups that were experiencing chemo treatment encouraging them there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He was on the advisory committee for the now UCHealth Cancer Center on Harmony Road.

When Roger recovered from his first stem cell transplants, he decided to get back into the track and field events and participate in the Colorado Senior Olympics. He worked out tirelessly, trained with purpose, and participated with determination. He placed 1st or 2nd in the Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska state games, the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, throwing the shot put and the discus, and placed 7th in the National Senior Olympic Games in Baton Rouge, Louisiana throwing the discus. He currently holds the Colorado record for throwing the shot put indoors for his age bracket.

Roger enjoyed traveling and he did so extensively. Whether it was to New York for sales meetings, Napa Valley for wine-tasting, New Orleans for food tasting, Europe for sight-seeing, Lake Powell for camping and fishing or Las Vegas for just plain fun, Roger enjoyed it all. He attended as many of the high school class reunions as possible back in Hebron, as he loved staying in contact with these life-long friends. He and his boys planned annual hunting and fishing trips that were as much re-connection as they were for sport. And let no Bronco game get together go without the potluck snack table--Roger's favorite part! No family member will make a chocolate cake or chocolate cookie without thinking of the pleasure these treats brought Roger!

Roger discovered he had a knack for working with wood and spent a lot of his time at Jay Warburton's shop developing this skill. He made bowls, candle holders, Christmas ornaments, benches, and many other wooden treasures that adorn not only friends and family homes, but sold quite well in the local Colorado souvenir stores. He branched out into making outhouses that he sold mostly to ranchers and farmers, but a couple found their way into backyards as a fun twist for a flower shed.

Roger volunteered with Christ United Methodist Church, Habitat for Humanity, and participated on many Cancer, Diabetes and Alzheimer fund-raising walks. He had a lot of fun with the church softball team and was a football coach with the City recreational league for 12-year-old boys.

Roger led a busy life, but some of his fondest moments were the quiet times he spent with each of his children and grandchildren, time to reminisce, to tell stories, and to listen. He leaves behind a large family who will miss him dearly, his wife, Mary Ann, his children, Roger (Denise) Corliss, Rory (Kathy) Corliss, Jody (Brian) Hergott, Krista (Andy) Bradley, his stepsons, Joshua (Corinne) Fisketjon, and Matthew (Sarah) Fisketjon. He leaves his sisters Peggy (James) Jones, Nancy Davidson, and Barbara Onnen, and joined his sister, Marjorie Mangham, who passed away earlier this year. His grandchildren, Cortney Corliss, Chance Corliss, Kendall (Nick) Dahlstrom, Colin (Baylee) Corliss, Katy (Benjamin) Sousan, Caleb (Tiffany) Mitchell, Austin (Mariah) Hergott, Landon (Brianna) Hergott, Briana (Andrew) Palmer, Cheyenne Garcia, Paige (Troy) Haigh, Brianna, Eli and Liam Fisketjon, and 12 great-grandchildren with 2 on their way.

Cremation has taken place and Roger's service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church, 301 E Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO, Friday, October 16, 2020 at 1 p.m. The masks and social distancing will be accommodated. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Roger's name to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, c/o Christ United Methodist Church.