Roland Ouellette

Roland Ouellette, of Little Rock, died peacefully early Monday morning, September 26th, 2016. He was 92 years old. Roland was born in 1924 in Manchester, New Hampshire to Charles Emile Ouellette and Alberta Rose Bourgeois. He had two brothers, Roger and Donald. He entered active service at nineteen and he served valiantly as staff sergeant in the 348th infantry regiment in Italy during World War II. He married Mary Dell Porter of Pottsville, Arkansas in 1944, and upon his return to civilian life, they settled for a short time in New Hampshire and then permanently in Little Rock. Here they spent over 50 happy years together, raising a family, travelling the country in their RV, and playing golf. Roland worked for the city of Little Rock, and later, in 1979, established a successful bicycle shop, named after his grandson Paul. A jack-of-all-trades and true renaissance man, Roland worked with his hands his whole life. He rebricked houses, built cabinets, created toys for his grandkids, carved wood sculptures, repaired engines and bikes, and gardened. His beloved wife, Mary preceded Roland in death on October 10th, 1996. He is survived by three children, Rosann Bennett (Jim), Dennis Ouellette (Rebecca), and Vivian Nolen (Greg); nine grandchildren, Kristie Boyd (Randy), Laura Kolb (James), Phillip Ouellette, Paul Nolen (Anne), Jonathan Hayden (Dawn), Mark Nolen, Mary Ouellette, Jeffrey Nolen (Rebecca), and Andrew Nolen; six great-grandchildren, Ashley Vargas (Jorge), Matthew Kolb (Tara), Jessica Boyd, Kayla Boyd, Logan Hayden, and Grayson Nolen; and one great-great-grandchild, Jordan Vargas. Upon his honorable discharge from the United States Army in 1946, Roland received a letter from President Truman stating, "As one of the Nation's finest, you undertook the most severe task one can be called upon to perform. Because you demonstrated the fortitude, resourcefulness and calm judgment necessary to carry out that task, we now look to you for leadership and example in further exalting our country in peace." Roland truly embodied these principles and expressed them daily in his love for his wife and his devotion to his family. He carried them into the world. He taught fortitude, resourcefulness and calm judgment to his children and beyond, and much like President Truman did seventy years ago, we express to him our deepest gratitude. A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth. A celebration of his life will be held with a graveside service at 10 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock. Memorials may be made to the Arkansas chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.LLS.org/gateway. To express condolences and sign the online guestbook, visit www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.