Michael Edward Roe passed away peacefully at home on May 6th, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. Mike was born June 23rd, 1952, in Monterey, CA. He grew up in Speedway and Brownsburg, Indiana.
With his goal of attending college, Mike started caddying at age 13 at the Country Club of Indianapolis, which began a life-long love of golf. Mike earned the Evans Scholarship and attended Purdue University. He was an avid Purdue sports fan. Mike made lasting friendships in the Evans Scholars House and graduated with a B.S. in Economics with Honors in 1974. While attending Purdue, Mike met Trudy, the love of his life. He said “It was love at first sight.”
After graduating, Mike and his childhood friend, Kenny, spent the summer traveling through Europe. This began Mike’s passion for travel—he was able to take his family on many trips throughout the country and abroad, including a tour through Ireland.
Mike and Trudy settled in West Lafayette where he worked at Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor for over 31 years. He then taught for six years as a continuing lecturer in the Department of Consumer Sciences at Purdue. He was a mentor to many of the students he had while lecturing at Purdue and loved hearing about their career accomplishments.
Mike’s involvement in the community included volunteering with United Way, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, and as the head of the Finance Committee at The Church of the Blessed Sacrament for 25 years. In addition, through Mike’s efforts, fourteen students from the Lafayette area earned full college scholarships through the Evans Scholars Foundation. He was a devout Catholic, and his faith was a source of strength and resiliency during his fight with cancer. Mike enjoyed spending time in the yard and cultivated it into his family’s personal sanctuary.
In everything he did throughout his life, Mike cherished the relationships he made, but his deepest joy was his family. Mike is survived by his wife of 45 years, Trudy, and children Patrick (wife Alexa), Jenna (husband Kurtis) Arbuckle, and Pierce (wife Cassidy), and grandsons Felix Roe, Grant Arbuckle, and a third grandson due in July. He is also survived by his sister Lisa Buetow (husband Karl), brother Mark Roe, sister-in-law Teri Roe, mother-in-law Marjorie Jackson, sister-in-law Linda Bliton, sister-in-law Kathy Aro (husband John), sister-in-law Anita Keddie (husband Alex), and brother-in-law Tim Hatke. He is preceded in death by his parents, George and Petronel Roe, father-in-law Tony Hatke, brother Greg Roe, brother-in-law Rich Bliton, brother-in-law Dan Conley, and nephew Michael Ward.
Some of Mike’s final reflections that he wrote in his Bible:
“God is powerful and mighty. He is all knowing, but He is kind and merciful. He has been so good to me. In my sickness, he provided me comfort and refuge.”
“Hearing Grant’s (three-year-old) voice say ‘Papa Mike’ meant everything to me!”
Friends may call at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 2224 Sacramento Drive, West Lafayette Wednesday May 10 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, with the Rosary being recited at 4:30 PM Wednesday. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament 10:30 AM Thursday May 11, Fr. Ted Dudzinski and Fr. Tim Alkire as Concelebrants. Interment will follow at Grandview Cemetery in West Lafayette. Hahn-Groeber Funeral Home is honored to serve the Roe family Please leave memories and condolences at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com
Donations can be made to: Evans Scholars Foundation, 2501 Patriot Boulevard, Glenview, IL 60026-4600