Obituary of Rolly Lord

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Roland (Rolly) Lord

1936 – 2021

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roland (Rolly) Lord at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital on December 19, 2021 after a brief illness.

Born in 1936 in Tracy, Rolly spent his early years growing up in NB with both the challenges and joys of rural life in that era.

In 1953, Rolly started a 38-year career with the New Brunswick Telephone Company.  He was a lineman, an installer, a specialist installer and a dispatcher. Retiring at age 55 in 1991, Rolly then embarked on a well-deserved retirement which he thoroughly enjoyed for over 30 years.

In 1956 Rolly married JoAnn and they went on to have 4 children and moved to Fredericton in 1964.

Rolly enjoyed sports – lots of sports, basically anything that had a score or a winner.  In his younger days, he played hockey and softball, and once he retired, he took up golf.  However, curling was his true passion, and he was an avid curler for nearly 60 years.  He was competitive, proficient and successful at the game, and really loved the strategy involved. He played in various leagues, bonspiels and provincial championships as well as competing nationally at the Brier, Seniors, Masters, National Legion Championships, Mixed Seniors and Stick, representing NB for a total of 14 Championships.  When he wasn’t playing, he was watching, discussing, or re-playing a game over in his head.  His professional highlight was being on the NB Team that won the 1994 Canadian Men’s Senior title. Rolly was also able to curl with his twin sons, Craig and Kevin.  In fact, they made Canadian Curling History when they played together in the 2019 New Brunswick Masters.  Rolly was 82 and the twins were 61 at the time. Rolly told everyone even though they did not win, that experience actually eclipsed all others on such a personal level.

Rolly also enjoyed golfing with his regular golfing partners at the Kingswood Executive Course where he got his first official/witnessed hole-in-one in 2011, at the age of 75. In the past 5 years he regularly played with his daughter Karen Ann, as well as occasional rounds with Heather Jo, Craig and Kevin. 

Rolly was a very social man, and a phenomenal storyteller.  He also has a Private Pilot’s License and enjoyed flying and zipping about in his little sports car. He was a member of the Nashwaaksis Baptist Church, the Fredericton Masonic Lodge, the Capital Winter Club, the Kingswood Golf Club and the Golden Club.  In 2003 Rolly was inducted into the Fredericton Sports Wall of Fame and in 2013 inducted into the Oromocto & Area Sports Wall of Fame.

Rolly is survived by his wife of 65 years, JoAnn; daughters Heather Jo Eagar (Charles) and Karen Ann Moreton (Chris) all of Fredericton; twin sons Craig Lord (Ann) and Kevin Lord (Dianne), all of Florenceville. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Matthew Eagar (Chaundra) of Fredericton; Vanessa Pitman (Chris) of Calgary AB; Melissa Johnson (Ben), currently on assignment in Johor Bahru, Malaysia; Heather Lord Knight (Tim), of Ballarat, Australia; Janet Lord (Josh Dufour) of Fredericton; Sarah Lord of Florenceville and Meghan Lord of Kamsack SK. Great grandchildren; Fred, Charlee and Theo Eagar; Olivia and William Johnson, step-great grandchildren: Ronan and Josee Pitman and Caleb Knight. Rolly is also survived by his brother Bernard Lord (Lesley) of Quispamsis, his sisters Sheila Young (Dave) of Nackawic and Patricia Thomason of Tracy, his sister-in-law Gweneth Lord of Fredericton Junction, his aunt Eldora Thomas of Fredericton as well as several nieces and nephews.

Rolly was pre-deceased by his parents Charles and Olive Lord, infant twin brothers Ronald and Rodney, brother Glendon Lord, sister Delphine MacLean, brothers-in-law Blake MacLean and Basil Thomason.

The livestream of the service will take place on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at 2 pm.  Donations in remembrance may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the Canadian Diabetes Association or a charity of the donor’s choice.