Roger William Wey died on Saturday, August 7 at the age of 80. He was a loving father and friend, and former longtime Oak Bluffs selectman.
He was born on March 26, 1941 in Boston to George and Jean Wey. He graduated from Winthrop High School and attended Wentworth Institute of Technology.
He had a passion for travel and adventure. After leaving college, he worked on the MS Minnesota, a Swedish freighter, with which he travelled extensively through the Baltic Sea. After leaving the ship, he travelled throughout Europe by hitchhiking and visited Yugoslavia, Hungary, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Greece. When he returned to the States, he worked at the West Dover Inn in Vermont and skied most of that winter.
Roger moved back to Boston and joined the local carpenters’ union, Number 33, where he worked as carpenter foreman on a number of high-rise buildings in downtown Boston. Shortly after, he married Marilyn Lohnes. After several years in Boston, he moved his family to Bridgewater. He continued to commute into the city for work.
In the summer of 1975, he moved his family to Martha’s Vineyard, where he had built a house on East Chop. He started his own company, Wey Construction, during a tough business cycle. He was able to persevere during this time and built many houses on the Vineyard.
Roger had an extensive career in public service. He served as an Oak Bluffs selectman for 21 years. He also served on the Oak Bluffs board of appeals, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, as a Dukes County commissioner, and with the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging and the Dukes County retirement board.
He had a passion for running and exercise. He regularly biked from East Chop to South Beach for a swim during the fall months. In the late 1990s, he participated in Cycle for the Cause, a bicycle race from Boston to New York, to raise awareness and to support efforts towards ending HIV and AIDS. He also helped organize many Oak Bluffs road races, including those for Columbus Day, Memorial Day, the NAACP, and Thanksgiving. He loved participating and racing his friends and family to the finish line.
His adventures continued in his later years with travels to Africa, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and learning to surf in Costa Rica. In recent years, he took several road trips around the United States, visiting national parks and many small towns. He enjoyed reading and learning throughout his life. He valued education and hard work.
Roger will be remembered for his love of his family, his perseverance and his integrity.
He was predeceased by his parents, George and Jean Wey, his son Timothy Wey, and his faithful dog Dewey, who died a few months ago.
He is survived by his brother George Wey; his children, Eric Wey and his wife Karen of Sugarland, Tex., Chris Wey and his wife Debbie of Tega Cay, S.C., Jennifer Fiore and her husband Kyle of Oak Bluffs, Rachel Stimits and her husband Jason of Merritt Island, Fla, Heather Boyle and her husband Jaime of Oak Bluffs, and Rebecca Bizzaro and her husband Tom of Northport, N.Y. He was also proud of his 14 grandchildren: Jessica, Ryan, Grace, Evan, Caroline, Cal, Nick, Ella, Ethan, Emma, Tyler, Savanna, Lilly and Danny.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Chapman Funerals and Cremations in Oak Bluffs. A funeral service will be held on Monday, August 16 at 10 a.m. at the Oak Bluffs Tabernacle. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs.
Donations can be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 2580, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
Visit www.chapmanfuneral.com for online tributes and information.
