NORTH PROVIDENCE – Roger Desjardins, the 101-year-old World War II veteran who died on May 21, will be honored with an all-gun salute outside the Robbins Funeral Home this Saturday, June 6, according to Mayor Charles Lombardi.
Desjardins, who had become locally famous as he turned 100, was named the town’s parade grand marshal, and participated in Honor Flights with Lombardi (here’s the story I wrote about that), was born on Jan. 18, 1925.
A North Providence resident who originally lived in Cumberland, Desjardins married Irene (Tynik) Desjardins. He died peacefully in the care of hospice.
He was a World War II veteran, Private First Class, serving in the Pacific Theater as a heavy water cooled machine gunner. After the war, he worked for Owens Corning Fiberglass Ashton Plant as a pipefitter and plumber. After retiring, he was a member of the Narragansett Bay Wheel Bicycle Club for 25 years. In those 25 years, he logged more than 40,000 miles on his bicycle. He and his sister were a clown duo, Pete & Dottie the Clowns, volunteering their service for more than 5 years.
Lombardi said this week that it was wonderful to be able to experience these last years with Desjardins, and his friend is sorely missed.
Desjardins leaves one daughter, Carol M. Buttrick, and one grandson, Michael R. Buttrick. In lieu of flowers donate to R.I. Honor Flight Hub, P.O. Box 28132, Providence, RI 02908-3700.
Visitation will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Robbins Funeral Home with Military Honors to follow.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, visit the flower store.
