Roland Herzig

Roland Herzig, 91, passed away at home on September 27, 2017 in the loving presence of his daughter. He leaves his son, Roy P. Herzig; daughter Ruby P. Ackert-Herzig and husband Robert P. Ackert, Jr.; and grandchildren Adele and Freeland Ackert, all of Falmouth, MA. He also leaves a brother, Jacques Herzig of Grants Pass, OR; sister-in-law Arleen Hugentobler of San Rafael, CA; and three sisters in Switzerland, Maya Lanz, Claudine Buergel, and Lilliane Zuchinetti. He was predeceased by siblings Remy, Violette and David. Roland was born on March 12, 1926 in Lausanne, Switzerland to Gottfried and Olga (Miserez) Herzig. He grew up in Basel where he apprenticed as a glider builder and goldsmith. He worked at Kessenich & Cie Goldschmied in Basel while enjoying soaring above Basel, the Jura, and the Alps. Roland met his future wife at a soaring outing and eventually followed her to San Francisco, CA where they married in 1955 and settled in San Mateo, CA. Roland and Paula were a strong team who truly lived the American dream. Roland worked as an instrument mechanic at United Airlines where he was lauded for his cost-saving inventions. A gifted craftsman, Roland built a cabin at Donner Lake, CA where he enjoyed fishing and skiing with the family. They traveled from Hawaii to New York and Europe, with frequent stays in Switzerland. Roland and Paula retired to Cool, CA in 1989 where Roland enjoyed trout fishing and built a fleet of remote control airplanes, flying with the Red Barons. He especially looked forward to visits from his grandchildren. Roland was a kind and generous man with a twinkle in his eyes. He supported his family and their dreams without reservation. He will be missed. Service details: A funeral mass and reception will be held onSaturday, October 14 at 11:00 a.m., St. James Catholic Church, Georgetown, CA.In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.