David Ronnie Roads

David Ronnie Roads was born in Napa, California, on September 6, 1945, the 15th of 21 children born to his parents. Many of his siblings died at a young age and their upbringing was full of difficulty, but David was resilient. With just an 8th grade education, he set out into the world to make a life for himself. David found work in the logging industry, working as a choker-setter for more than 30 years. He married and had two children, a son Travis and a daughter Evon. David had a passion for hunting and fishing and even had his own guide service on the Klamath River for years. At the age of 49, David had a stroke and was never able to go back to logging. During his recovery, he worked as a gas station attendant until he had a second stroke that left him unable to work at all. David moved to California for a time to be near his daughter, but his fierce independence drove him back to the Pacific Northwest to a facility that allowed him the freedoms he desired. He spent the last many years of his life in Stayton, Oregon, living at Elmcroft retirement community. Weather permitting, David was out and about on his scooter, driving the roads of Stayton, often saying in a joking manner that he broke out of “prison”. He loved to talk to people and never knew a stranger. So many people in the Stayton community grew very fond of David and enjoyed the visits as he made his rounds. And boy did David have a sense of humor, always with a new joke to share from his vast repertoire. During his time at Elmcroft, David made many friends of residents and staff, but when he met Judy the two formed a special bond. On the afternoon of October 8, 2020, while out on his daily rounds, David’s life ended as the result of a traffic collision. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by so many in his retirement community as well as the greater Stayton community. David was preceded in death by his parents and 18 siblings as well as his grandson Tyler Roads. He will be profoundly missed by the family he leaves behind including his son Travis Roads; daughter Evon Dean; grandchildren Tayler Roads, Justice Dean, and Annabelle Dean; and his significant other Judy and her daughter Janet and spouse Amy, and their daughter Rebekah.  The celebration of David's life will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at 3 pm at Weddle Funeral Service.  The service will be live streamed for those that are unable to attend in person. Access the livestream at https://my.gather.app/remember/david-roads If you are unable to attend but would like a sentiment or memory of David shared at the service, you can call or email Weddle with what you would like said and someone will read it on your behalf at the service. You can also leave photos or comments here on David's tribute page.