Dr. Roger R. Fales, 92, of 219 East Ave., Falconer passed away at 7:42 p.m. Saturday (January 2, 2010) in WCA Hospital.
An area resident most of his life, he was born August 13, 1917 in the Town of Evan, NY, the son of the late Bertom and Helen Schuman Fales.
Roger was a graduate of Angola High School and a 1941 graduate of Cornell University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree. At Cornell University he was a member of Alpha Psi Fraternity and a trombone player in the Big Red Marching Band.
In earlier years he began practicing with other veterinarians in the Avon Henrietta Rochester area, coming to Falconer in 1945 to establish his own practice. He had owned and operated Falconer Veterinary Clinic for 55 years which was first located on East Main St. in Falconer and is presently located at 319 East Ave. Falconer.
Roger was a member of the Falconer Bethlehem Lutheran Church and had served on the Church Counsel, American VeterinaryMedical Association, NYS Veterinary Medical Society, WNY Veterinary Medical Society, Chautauqua County Veterinary Medical Society, Chautauqua County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals having served as vice president, Village of Falconer Recycling Committee, Carroll Masonic Lodge # 1147 of F& A M, life member of the Ross Grange and had served on the Falconer Central School Board of Education for 26 years having served as school board president for 17 years.
He enjoyed his family, gardening, his camp and cottage, animals and foreign cars. Roger also enjoyed traveling going back to 1965 with the first People to People trip to Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the former Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary and Germany. Since then, the family has visited Scandinavia, England, Kenya, Egypt, Costa Rica, Canada, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand. Roger and his wife made a return trip to the former Soviet Union with visits to Moscow, Tashkent, Samarkland, Bokhara and Leningrad. The most recent trip was to the Amazon Basin in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Surviving are his wife Dr. Patricia Jensen Fales, whom he married June 18, 1960 in First Methodist Church of Falconer; his daughter Dr. Mary Fales-Wilshire (Scott Wilshire) of Falconer; his son Rick (Anna) Fales Jr. of Falconer; five grandchildren: Sarah Fales, Thomas Fales, Katherine Fales, Waylon Wilshire and Christian Wilshire.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a brother Russell Fales.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday (January 9, 2010) in the Falconer Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Rev. Timothy J. Hoyer pastor of the church will officiate. Inurnment will be in Pine Hill Cemetery.
Friends will be received by the family from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday (January 7, 2010) in the Falconer Funeral Home.
Memorials may be donated to the Falconer Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 20 North Phetteplace Street, Falconer, NY 14733 or to the Falconer Public Library, 101 West Main St., Falconer, NY 14733.