Roger L. Lande

ROGER L. LANDE

Muscatine

Roger L. Lande, 85, of Muscatine, passed away peacefully at Lutheran Living Senior Campus in Muscatine on March 17, 2022. A Celebration of Life in honor of Roger will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. April 23, at Merrill Hotel in Muscatine.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Roger's name to either the Muscatine Arboretum Association Endowment of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine or the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

Roger was born in Lake Mills, Iowa, a place suspiciously similar to "Lake Wobegon," on Nov. 7, 1936, to Carl and Gladys Lande. There, Roger enjoyed small town life growing up among numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Roger was proud of his Norwegian heritage and the hometown where he learned the values of honor, decency and hard work, which he exemplified throughout his life. Roger was a voracious reader of books from the local library, he helped out at the family business 'Lande Hardware' and also at Southdale, the small farm his father and uncles owned. Roger enjoyed nature and being outdoors trapping, fishing and hunting. It is said Lake Wobegon is where "all the children are above average." In Lake Mills, Roger fit the description, he was an Eagle Scout and quarterback of the high school football team. Roger often told the story of how he suffered a broken nose during one football game, the trainer stopped the bleeding, straightened the nose and Roger went back into the game, this time with a helmet that included a face mask.

In 1960, Roger married Sarah Dunkerton in Marshalltown, Iowa. After Roger graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law (with distinction) in 1961, he and Sarah moved to Muscatine where they have lived ever since. Roger began his legal career working with David Stanley and over the years their small partnership grew to one of the larger law firms in eastern Iowa. Roger specialized in advising businesses large and small and he was equally comfortable and professional advising mom and pop operations and large corporations. He resolved other people's problems and they appreciated his expertise and common sense. Roger left his law practice in 2010 to serve as the Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, from which he finally retired at age 75.

Roger did much more than practice law, he was an active member of the greater community, a man who wanted to be in the rooms where things happened. Most notably Roger served as president of the Iowa State Bar Association, president of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, a member of the Iowa Board of Regents, Honorary Consul of Canada in Iowa and as a director of the American Judicature Society. Roger actively supported the University of Iowa where he served as a director of the Iowa Alumni Association, director of the Iowa Law School Foundation and a director of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, where in 2016 he was awarded the title "Honorary Lifetime Director." Roger and Sarah were also longtime members of the University of Iowa President's Club.

In addition to his numerous professional achievements, Roger earned his SCUBA diver certification and was a licensed twin-engine and instrument pilot for many years. He loved owning dogs, particularly black Labradors, and Roger's dogs raised several litters of puppies. He appreciated having fun and was generous in bringing people together for a good time. Roger always had Iowa Football season tickets, so when Iowa and Iowa State renewed their rivalry in 1977, he and Sarah celebrated by hosting fabulous tailgate parties when the game was in Iowa City. For many years, Roger and Sarah also hosted a holiday party at their historic home in Muscatine, a grand event which was the seasonal highlight for many friends, colleagues and clients. At home Roger was a generous, witty, strict and loving husband and father. While Roger was fortunate to travel extensively across the U.S. and to Europe and Asia, he most relished his time with family at his house on Lake of the Woods in Sioux Narrows, Ontario. He called it Nirvana and never tired of watching the sunsets over the lake.

In addition to his wife, Roger is survived by his daughter, Meg Dietz of Iowa City, Iowa; son, Christopher (Lisa) Lande of Vienna, Va.; grandchildren, Sarah Minor of Iowa City, Iowa, Liza Minor of Boulder, Colo., John Lande and Lucy Lande, both of Vienna, Va.; and sisters-in-law, Ann McChord of New York, N.Y., and Martha (Joe) Tarantino of Las Vegas, Nev.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Fred Dietz; sister, Donna Lehman of Minnetonka, Minn.; and six gorgeous black labs.