Roger D. Tarbox of Village One in Sheffield, died unexpectedly in his sleep in the early morning hours of December 26, 2023 at the young age of 77. He was born on April 9, 1946, in Niagara Falls, New York to the late Evelyn Pedersen Tarbox and the late George Dashwood Tarbox.
Roger grew up for a short time in Niagara Falls before moving to Norwood Park in Florence, Alabama and then on to Sault Saint Marie, Michigan where he graduated high school before moving to Ashtabula, Ohio and attending college at Kent State University.
In the summer of 1968, Roger was drafted into the military and served his country in Vietnam until June of 1971. Upon returning to the US, Roger moved to Savannah, Georgia for a short time before returning to the Tri-Cities and settling in Sheffield. Roger worked at TVA for 20 years as a radiological technician before retiring.
During Roger’s life, he was an avid Alabama football fan and a lover of live music. He loved the local Muscle Shoals music scene and enjoyed the yearly Handy Festival and Art in The Park in Florence. Roger loved Village One and his neighbors in Sheffield and especially loved the holidays there with Halloween trick or treaters and Fourth of July fireworks with his neighbors in the field across from his home. He loved all the dogs he adopted in his life and loved all of the neighbor’s dogs as well. He was always happy to love on every wagging puppy tail he encountered.
Roger embraced family get togethers and especially enjoyed family Thanksgivings and Christmas’s during the years and his yearly summer vacations in both Hilton Head, SC and Westbrook, CT. He enjoyed skiing out west in his younger years and his occasional jaunts to Tunica, MS to throw away a roll of quarters and hope for luck!
Roger was active in The First Presbyterian Church of Sheffield and was a member there the entire time he lived in Sheffield. He was a member of the bell choir there and loved anything having to do with the grounds keeping around the church. Roger was steadfast in his Christian faith throughout his life.
Roger was predeceased by his parents and by his brother, George D. Tarbox Jr. He is survived by his oldest brother, Peder R. Tarbox of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; his sister, Dottie Tarbox Patterson and brother-in-law Gayle G. Patterson of Madison, AL; his sister, Laura Ann Tarbox and brother-in-law, Thomas E. Gross of Rockland, ME and his two nieces, Sara Patterson Kohrs and her husband, Justin Kohrs of Alexandria, VA and niece, Samantha Patterson Mulvehill and her husband Chase Mulvehill of Houston, TX. He is further survived by his great-nieces and great-nephew, Harper Kohrs of Alexandria, VA and Emerson Mulvehill and Brandon Mulvehill of Houston, TX.
Roger is also survived by his beloved dog Buddy-who is now living in Madison with Dottie and her husband.
A celebration of life will be held at The First Presbyterian Church in Sheffield, AL on March 15th at 1:00 PM.
He will be forever missed by his family and friends and in the end, there can be no greater compliment to life than this.
Online condolences may be left at morrisonfuneralhomes.com
