Obituary:

Rolf John Roth

9-16-1933 - 8-26-2021

Rolf John Roth passed away peacefully on the evening of August 26, 2021 at Henry Ford Village in Dearborn Michigan with his daughter and son by his side.

Rolf was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in the USA in 1933 to John and Martha Roth. He spent most of his youth and early teenage years in Pennsylvania until he turned 18 when he joined the United States Air Force. Rolf was stationed with a bomber squadron in Fairbanks Alaska during the Korean War defending the northwest frontier. It was here that he met Mavis Winnifred Wooley and fell in love. They married a few months later and lived together on base with their dog Turk. After the war Rolf was honourably discharged and the couple moved to Washington, DC. Rolf attended the University of Maryland and completed degrees in business and accounting. He graduated cum laude.

Rolf and Mavis moved to Dearborn Michigan in 1962 where Rolf began a 29-year career with Ford Motor Company. He started in the treasury department and rose quickly through the corporate ranks. In 1962 Christian was born and Stephanie in 1963. In 1967 Rolf joined the international division and after a short introductory stint moved his young family to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1972 they were transferred to Brentwood Essex in the UK and then onto Melbourne Australia in 1975 where Rolf headed up Ford's Asia Pacific Financial & Accounting Group. The family returned to the US in the spring of 1980 for a short stay and then Rolf and Mavis headed back to the UK in 1982 where he headed up Ford of Europe's Financial and Accounting Group. Rolf retired from Ford in 1991.

Rolf had a passion for travel and enjoyed visiting historical places; he made lifelong friends and had many adventures along the way. He had a keen interest in art was an avid collector of indigenous wood carvings. Rolf loved sports, both participating and spectating, working in the pits and on the track at Indy car races during his early teens. He was a keen sailor, passionate tennis, and racket ball player most of his adult life, in his later years his favourite pastime was watching American Football.

For the past 22 years Rolf fought a constant battle with Ataxia, a slowly progressive and debilitating motor neuron disease. This combined with the last 8 years fighting Alzheimer's was a testament to his strength and character.

He will be missed by his children, Christian, Stephanie (Gary); grandchildren, Eric (Kelsey), Annabel (Shaun), Sarah, Alexander, Chloe, Lily, one great-grandchild soon to arrive, as well as numerous extended family members and friends.

Rolf was predeceased by his parents John and Martha, his wife Mavis of 56 years, Father-in-law Alexander Wooley, Mother-in-law Florence (Henry) Wiseman, sister Ruth, Brother-in-law Donald Parsons, Sister-in-law Joan (James) Robertson and Nephew Stewart (Mary) Robertson.

A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, September 23, 2021, at 12:00 p.m., at the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home 22546 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI.

A celebration of Rolf's life will follow the service.

Memorial donations may be made to the Ataxia Foundation or the Alzheimer's Foundation.