LEWISTON — Roland “Rollie” A. Desjardins, 86, of 2 Hillview Lane, Lewiston, died peacefully at home with his loving family by his side on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

He was born in Auburn, June 16, 1926, to Arthur and Berthe Hamel Desjardins.

He was educated at St. Louis and Edward Little High schools in Auburn. His high school graduation was delayed when, at 17, he was drafted into World War II. He trained with Company “B” Seventh Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, where he qualified as an “expert” rifleman. He served overseas as radio repairman and Army tank operator on the European front in Germany. His decorations and citations include: European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.

While serving in Ausberg, Germany, through his hobby of Amateur Ham radio, he was able to keep in contact with his family. It made local news when an article published in the Sun Journal declared, “Deane Quinton, Radio ‘Ham’ Makes Contact With Auburn Soldier Serving In Germany.” Quinton, a Bates Manufacturing manager, invited Desjardins’ parents and siblings to hear Roland’s voice over Quinton’s ham radio equipment at his home. “Parents and siblings including, Jeannette, 16, and ‘Little Freddy,’ 3, were able to converse with their son and big brother.” In those days immediate contact with an overseas soldier was rarely if ever heard of.

Once the War ended, Desjardins returned to Auburn to complete his last year of high school. It is at Edward Little High that he met his future bride and devoted wife of 58 years, Guilda L. Thibault.

Upon completion of high school, Roland furthered his education in Broadcast Engineering at both Devries University in Chicago, then at RCA Institute in New York. He then returned overseas to Germany to work as a technical representative for the Philco Corporation and then served two years with the signal corps in Europe.

During all of this time period, Roland and Guilda’s romance blossomed. He returned to the states to work as an engineer at WCSH-TV, Channel 6 in Portland. He and Guilda married on Feb. 22, 1954. They made their home in Gorham and then moved back to Lewiston, where they raised their three children, Louise, Roger and Denise.

Desjardins’ return to the twin cities was due to his acquiring the position of chief engineer for WCBB-TV, Channel 10. It was Rollie’s responsibility to engineer and design broadcast facilities for Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He was the driving force behind making WCBB-10 the first station in Maine to use videotape, the first to broadcast in stereo and to offer closed-captions for the hearing impaired, and the first to use CCD studio cameras.

In 1991, Desjardins was recognized for his work in pioneering descriptive video service when the television station received an Emmy award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in engineering development.

Roland stayed with the company for 31 years, until his retirement in 1992, as vice president and director of engineering of the MPBN. He continued as a consultant for many years after his retirement.

Roland was a devoted and loving husband and father. He was a quiet man with a wonderful, dry sense of humor, who enjoyed the simple pleasures of life including nature, photography and music. Most of all, he especially loved spending time with his family. They spent many summers camping and exploring biking and hiking trails on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He also enjoyed fall camping at Dolly Copp Campground at the base of Mt. Washington. When not camping, he enjoyed his backyard pool and his parents’ family camp at Tacoma lakes.

During his entire life, Roland enjoyed his hobby of ham radio operator. His early WWII call was D4ADZ. Most of his Ham friends remember him as W1PSK – “Peter, Sugar, King,” or “Pappa, Sierra, Kilo.”

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Guilda; two daughters, Louise and her husband, Paul Cote and Denise and her friend, Ralf Hatch, all of Lewiston; son, Roger and his partner, Paul O’ Clair, both of Austin, Texas; his siblings, sister, Jeannette; brothers, Robert and wife, Antoinette, Leo and wife, O’Maurine and Fred and wife, Joline; goddaughters, Jeannette Labonte and Anita Bouffard; several nieces and nephews; and special friends, Norman and Charlotte l’Heureux.

Roland will be sadly missed by family, friends and colleagues.

The family wishes to extend a warm, heartfelt and sincere thank-you to Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, especially to Kim Davis, Colleen l’Italien, Jean Abbott, Muriel Wing and Molly Webster. Additional thanks are also given to the staff at Friends Alternative Care. The family appreciates all of the help and support given by all of these outstanding care givers!

Donations, condolences, and a video tribute may be accessed online at www.albert-burpee.com.