Memories of Roland, from Dan and Barbara Workman
We were living in Orem and Dan was commuting to the Church Office Building five days a week. It was a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.day at best. So we began to plan our move north at a time that would be best for our houseful of school kids, and started looking for a home. We bought the lot next to Roland and Suzie from his father, who built us a house. Our home sold before the new one was finished, so we moved into the unfinished basement. While we were there, Roland came over with the biggest home-grown watermelon we’d ever seen. Suzie told us just last week it was the biggest one they’d ever grown That shows you right away the kind of people they are. It gave Dan a dream and a goal. It took him 30 years to grow a melon almost as big, that he could take back to Roland. By then we had been transferred back to Orem. It was a proud moment for Dan when he delivered the melon. He’d never lost sight of the memory or the goal, but we’re sure it didn’t taste as good as the one Roland brought to our basement “living quarters” 30 years before.
We lived next door from 1977 to 1987. Our admiration and love for their family developed quickly, and kept growing. We watched much of the remarkable saga of bringing seven children into their home in addition to Catherine and Adam, and heard of Suzie’s literally risking her life to carry those two. We attended some of the temple sealings that created their forever family. We lived next door to two hearts big enough to not only welcome but beg for the chance to be parents to more children. It was an example beyond what most of us can comprehend even when we see it happening.
If we remember the facts correctly, Jini had polio, so authorities didn’t think she was adoptable. She was used almost as a maid at the orphanage, and the owners didn’t want to let her go. Roland and Suzie would not take no for an answer. They knew she was to be theirs. “We prayed her here,” Roland told us more than once. Prayer coupled with a great amount of work and expense. Suelyn would come over with a tiny knock on our door, we loved her visits so much, and considered her part ours. We saw David and Sara the day they arrived with their new parents from Korea. Suzie had cross-stitched June 10 the day of their birthdays, to frame and hang on the wall. Born on the same day but not biologically related, they are now eternally brother and sister. We watched as they brought Saul into their home, in addition to the nine, as an Indian placement student. We saw their tears when his parents came to take him back to the reservation. They also had Nam Soon ( spelling?) in their home for some time. Is there anything more beautiful than this kind of Christianity? And it has been given in such a quiet, unassuming way.
We know there have been thousands of acts of charity toward those outside their family, but the ones at home are at the heart of who Roland and Suzie are. And because we are parents and grandparents, we know that these children and their children have been as much a blessing to Roland and Suzie, as Roland and Suzie have been to them.
We remember the 4th of July fireworks in the circle, with Roland orchestrating everything. We can see him sitting there, loving every minute of it. We remember day the twins disengaged the gears on the van and it rolled out of the garage and into the side of Slater’s home, directly where the fireplace was located, sending it face down onto the living room floor. As Roland drove up and surmised what had happened he yelled out the window---not, “Who did this!!!” but “How are the kids?” We remember bottling pears together with a little scooping gadget Roland thought was so cool.
Suzie and Barbara served in the Young Women presidency in the ward and their close relationship just got deeper. Barbara loved working with Suzie. She will never forget Suzie standing on the doorstep, holding out a Snickers candy bar after Barbara had complained about never having a chance to be alone long enough to eat one. When Dan was bishop he asked Roland to be the Blazer leader. Roland said he would do it if they would leave him there for awhile. We think he’s been in scouting ever since.
The most amazing and unique happening, and so the highlight of this letter of remembrance of our beloved Roland, came when our daughter came home with her three children, not knowing if it would be permanent. We had seven other children still at home. The doorbell rang, and Roland stood there with tears running down his cheeks and said words to this effect: “You don’t have enough room, your family is much bigger than ours now. We need to trade houses.” They were sincerely offering their large beautiful home to us. There aren’t words eloquent enough to describe this couple better than this experience does.
Our visits from Orem have been more and more painful as we watched this terrible disease rob Roland of his strength and his ability to serve. His eyes never lost the fire of love for his family and friends, his testimony, or his love for the life he knew was slipping away. We saw him the Monday before he passed away. He was suffering but he did not lose his smile or his desire to express his love. He didn’t want to leave Suzie to face life’s challenges alone. We don’t think that will happen. We feel he will be there, and that the Lord will allow him to help more than we will realize until we are all together again.
Roland wanted a miracle. He asked Dan for a blessing three years ago, and Dan asked for that miracle. We then prayed for it every day in our personal and couple prayers. We believe the extension of his life for those extra years was a miracle, a miracle given not to make Roland’s life easier, but to bless ours. It must have been so hard to gradually lose his strength, but he wanted to endure in a better way than the word “endure” signifies. He wanted to exemplify his beliefs by the way he endured. He kept telling us he was still expecting his miracle. Roland, you are the miracle, and we are the recipients.
We will always love you both, Roland and Suzie and your family. We will remember the lessons you taught us, and what the pure love of Christ really means.
