Roger S Jacquemin Sr

If you piled up all the hay baled by Roger S. Jacquemin Sr. in his lifetime, it would be the biggest, most beautiful hay bale castle you’d ever seen. (Also, probably the only hay bale castle
you’d ever seen.) And Roger would be proud. He worked harder than anyone, and he poured his heart into every bale, every crop, every loved one, and every person who needed a helping hand.
He gave his all until the end.
Born on May 29, 1943 in Connecticut, Roger was destined to be a farmer. His family lived on Kelly Farm in Goshen, and his first job was at the Perrett Farm, where he learned all the satisfying tasks of growing and raising food. Roger and his brother, Maurice, spent countless hours baling hay together growing up & thru adulthood, and they bonded in the satisfaction of a hard day’s work. Roger also worked closely with the Gresczyk Farm family in New Hartford; every year, he did crop hauls to upstate New York. Roger didn’t love school. He just wanted to get outside and work. But grade school would still change his life for the better—when he got in a fistfight on the school bus. Roger and John Thoma hated each other at first. But after exchanging blows and getting kicked off the bus, they became lifelong friends.
In 1966, Roger was drafted and sent to Vietnam with the 168th Engineering Division. For two years, he worked on bridges, roads, and equipment in the war. In ’68, Roger returned home to his wife, Elsie Delliber. They moved to Goshen, Connecticut, and had two children, Ann and Roger Junior. In 1977, the family moved to Torrington, the town Roger would call home for the rest of
his life.

Elsie died of cancer in 1988. Roger passed on his work ethic to his children. When they got home from school, they changed into their work clothes and got to it, baling hale, caring for the animals, and splitting wood. He made sure they knew how to have fun, too. Roger was close with his children, and he loved sharing his wisdom and stories.
Roger was forever a farmer, but he had many other jobs, too. His first job was at the Litchfield Country Club, where he did ground maintenance. After Vietnam, he landed at EJ Kelly Trucking
Company as a driver. Roger loved trucking. He loved the big rigs and the long drives. He loved knowing every highway and byway in the Northeast. He later drove big rigs for Kimberly Clarke
and then for Scasco, delivering petroleum and gas. From 1996 to 2009, Roger worked for O&G Industries in the Teamster Union. John worked there, too, and they retired one year apart. Dogs brought out Roger’s soft side. (Later, his grandchildren would have the same effect.) He never went anywhere without a pocket full of dog treats. When visiting friends & family, their dogs would run out to greet him, and he’d have dogs in his car as soon as he cracked the door. This was a big deal because if there was one thing Roger loved more than dogs, it was his cars.

Roger adored the culture and mechanics of cars. He loved fixing them, driving them, and talking about them with friends. He’d drive to any car show he could reach in a day, and he went to every local swap meet for car parts and farm auctions for equipment. When his family threw him an 80th birthday party, so many people drove their classic cars that an impromptu car show formed in the parking lot of the Harwinton Fairgrounds as over 200 people filed in to celebrate the birthday boy. He owned many cars over the years, but his 1957 Bel Air was his pride and joy. Roger’s phone rang all day long. It rang with friends making plans and friends asking questions and friends just calling to talk. Roger was a good talker—you could always hear him before you saw him—but he was an even better listener. He was infinitely generous with his time, and he wanted to fix everything for everyone. This conviction often left him stretched thin, but he didn’t mind. For Roger, life was about the care and effort you put into every day, and he didn’t waste a single one.
Even in his later years, people had trouble keeping up with Roger; he was always on the move, always hitting the road with a fishing rod in the trunk, just in case. But if anyone could keep up,
it was his grandkids. Roger taught them all to drive—a bit earlier than the legal age. He taught them to work hard and love hard, too.
Roger didn’t go to church, but every Sunday, he religiously listened to Swap Shop on 97.3 WZBG. He passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2025, just after catching one last episode. Roger will be remembered for his generous spirit, his larger-than-life personality, and the enthusiasm with which he embraced each day. He will be remembered in so many moments by so many people—in the smell of hay in the morning, the sound of a car engine coming to life, the grumble of a tractor, and the feel of the breeze through an open car window on a long, leisurely drive. All of these beautiful moments will keep him close to us all. His booming, joyful voice traveled great distances here on Earth, and it will continue to echo in our hearts.
Roger is predeceased by his parents, Cecile and Roger Jacquemin, and his late wife, Elsie Delliber. He is survived by his brother, Maurice; his children, Ann (Mike) and Roger Jr. (Marcy); his grandchildren, Christopher, Dylan Austin, Sammy, Taylor, and Blake; his companion, Donna Buchelt; his Granddogs, Scarlett and Banjo; and his lifelong friend, John Thoma..  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Roger’s name to Cars For Kids Automobile Show: C/O CJR 550 Goshen Rd Litchfield, CT 06759.

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