Keith W. Roll

August 5, 1918 - April 11, 2020

NORFOLK -- Private family funeral service for Keith William Roll, 101, of Norfolk will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 at the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Norfolk with Rev. Robert Wiest officiating. Interment will be held at the Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, Norfolk. Celebration of life for Keith will take place at a later date with military honors. Keith died Saturday, April 11, 2020 at his residence in Norfolk. Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk is in charge of the arrangements. Keith was born August 5, 1918 to Douglas and Hilda (Day) Roll in Marshalltown, IA. The family moved to St. Ansgar, IA and Keith attended school there, graduating from St. Ansgar High School in 1936. He started working at Dieterschs station early in high school and continued there until drafted in the United States Army on March 28, of 1941. He was one of the first selective service soldiers, serving two years on horses in the 14th cavalry, then in amphibian tanks in the south Pacific. He was in the initial invasions at Leyte, Philippines and Okinawa; he was discharged December 28, 1945 as a Tech Sargent. Although he had no formal art schooling, art work was a natural talent for him, while in the service he continued his artwork to his wife, friends and published a news sheet “The Spirit of ’76.” Copies of his combat art are on display at the Admiral Nimitz Museum in Texas, and also in the St. Ansgar, IA museum and the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk. Keith married Alice M. Prell on November 23, 1943 in Manhattan, KS; they celebrated their 69th anniversary in 2012. Keith received an offer from the Huse Publishing Company, publishers of the Norfolk Daily News and he began working there in January of 1950. He retired in 1980 as art director and office manager; of Norfolk Printing Company; he continued being busy at his art table until 2019. Keith was active in the Lutheran Church, both in St. Ansgar and Norfolk. He wrote the monthly publication “Help to Health” for the Lutheran Hospital for 24 years. He was a life member of the Lions Club, having held nearly all offices including District Governor. He was a Melvin Jones Fellowship recipient and for several years furnished the artwork for the Nebraska Lions Pins. Keith was a 57 year member of the American Legion and a life member of the V.F.W. Keith was a state president of the AAL for 12 years. He was appointed by the Nebraska governor to the Nebraska Federation and served on the Board of Directors for 12 years, speaking at several state tourism meetings and forums. He was a stand-in legislator for the late Nebraska Legislator; Dr. S.H. Brauer. He was an admiral in the Great Navy of Nebraska. Keith is survived by his two daughters, Sylvia (Keith) Winter of Wahoo, and Regina Klitzke of Norfolk; five grandchildren Jan (Ron) Lehms, Vikki (Dave) Distler, Amy Mrsny (Jeff Pelz), Kamille (Scott) Alm, Ken (Melody) Klitzke, and 8 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Alice on November 9, 2012, parents, brother Doug Roll, sister Dorothy Kunkel. Casket bearers will be Ron Lehms, Scott Alm, Dillon Distler, Dave Distler, Ken Klitzke, Austin Alm, Jeff Pelz, Logan Mrsny, and Gavin Leggett. Honorary casket bearers will be his great-grandchildren Aeryn Alm, Allison Distler, Boston Klitzke, Nixon Klitzke, and the Norfolk Lions Club. The family requests that memorials be made to the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 1212 South 2nd St., Norfolk, NE 68701 or the AseraCare Hospice, 120 N. 27th St., Norfolk, NE 68701. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.