AUGUSTA — Roland Walter Desjardins of 38 Lake St., Sabattus, passed away Oct. 31, at Togus VA.

Roland was born March 16, 1933, in Waterville, to Walter and Lillian (Dunbar) Desjardins. Roland attended school in Lisbon, Bath and the Brunswick area school systems.

Eager to serve his country and with a bit of trickery, Roland entered the National Guard at very young age and at age 16, bluffed his way into the U.S. Army during the end of World War II and the beginning of the Korean War. During his service in the town of Kalrou, Germany, Roland was injured, losing his leg and spent many months at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., rehabilitating.

Never daunted, Roland returned to Maine and held many jobs but never let his disabilities slow him down. After a try as a cook, restaurant owner, taxi driver etc., in 1958, Roland began his career as a boiler-man and spent the next 40 plus years, running a variety of boiler rooms throughout the state. He spent the majority of those years working for Miller Industries at the Worumbo Mill in Lisbon Falls.

Roland’s hobbies included motorcycles, boats and cars, but his passion was fishing and his time spent on Moosehead Lake with family and friends.

Roland was married twice, first to Joan Elaine Balliet of Brunswick, and to Sandra Creighton-Desjardins of Sabattus.

He leaves behind his children, Diane Brown and her husband, Larry, of Buckfield, Brenda Larson and her husband, JD, of North Dakota, Keith Smith of Litchfield, Richard Desjardins and his wife, Kelly, of Brunswick, Stephen Smith and his partner, Pauline Fazekas, of Lisbon Falls, Theresa Desjardins of Brunswick and Jennifer Brown and her husband, Kevin, of Turner; and 17 grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife, Sandra; and a daughter, Linda Gilley.

Online condolences and stories may be shared with Roland’s family through www.crosmanfuneralhome.com.

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