Roger A. Pellerin

Roger A. Pellerin, 86, of Freeville, NY, loving husband, father and grandfather, died peacefully with his wife by his side, June 1, 2023, at the Hospicare Residence in Ithaca.  Roger, son of Frank and Yvonne (Bureau) Pellerin, was born on November 12, 1936 in Waterville, Maine.  He earned a Bachelor of Science (1959) and a Master of Engineering (1969) in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Maine (Orono).  He served in the US Army from 1959-1962 and was in the Army Reserves until 1965.

Roger is survived by his wife, Jeanne, of 58 years.  He is also survived by his children, Michelle Pellerin Michell (Scott) of Colorado; Gregory (Christine) of Massachusetts; and Keith (Annette) of West Seneca, NY; grandsons Thomas, Brian and Matthew Michell; Maxwell and Collin Pellerin, and granddaughter Nina Pellerin; his sister, Nancy Foster of Waterville, Maine; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.  Roger was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Ronald, Richard, Norman and James.

Roger grew up on the Pellerin Family dairy farm in Fairfield, Maine, with his four brothers and one sister, often waking early in the morning to milk cows before school.  Following his time in college and the military, he worked in private industry for a while.  In 1970 he moved his growing family to the Ithaca area to work at Cornell University in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, where he devoted 30 years of service on a variety of agricultural research projects, retiring in 2000.  In retirement he and Jeanne then traveled for a number of years to many destinations in the US, Europe, Australia, and even climbed Machu Pichu in Peru to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2015.

Roger was active in many community-service and recreational capacities throughout his life, serving on the Dryden School Board; at Holy Cross Church in Freeville, he was one of the key players in the acquisition and restoration of a 100-year-old Skinner Organ for the church, working with loving dedication to this project, spanning many years.  Roger also had a love for flying, having flown helicopters while in the Army.  He was involved in helping restore the “Tommy” WWI aircraft which had originally been built in Ithaca. In retirement he renewed his fixed-wing pilot’s license and shared his joy of flying with his children and grandchildren, taking them on many aerial adventures.  He also enjoyed sailing on Cayuga Lake with family and friends.  Mostly, he loved spending time with his family, especially at the Pellerin Camp in Maine where he could relax and watch his children, grandchildren, and all his extended family live life to the fullest.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am on Friday, June 9, 2023 at Holy Cross Church, 375 George Road, Freeville, NY with Fr. Daniel Ruiz and Fr. Jorge Ramirez as celebrants. Friends may call from 10-11 am prior to the Mass at the church. Burial will be later in St. Francis Cemetery, Waterville, Maine.   In lieu of flowers, donations in Roger’s memory may be made to Hospicare.org, or call Hospicare at 607.272.0212. Perkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.