It is with great sorrow that his family announces the passing of Roger William Haigh on March 24, 2023, in San Lorenzo, California. Roger was born at Saint Mary's hospital in Waterbury Connecticut on September 21, 1939.  He now joins his loving wife Nancy Gonzalez Haigh and his beloved granddaughter Abby, both of whom passed away in 2016 and his beloved grandson Andrew who passed away in 2021. Roger is survived by his sisters Janet and Peggy and Peggy’s husband, CF; son Roger & his wife Jen, son Paul & his wife Caroline, and son Daniel & his wife Aimee; and his grandchildren Xavier, Benjamin, Eliana, and William.

Roger’s early life was spent on Rose Street in Waterbury, CT with his family in his grandmother’s large house.  Some of his earliest memories were of WWII and his father working six days a week to support the war effort.

Roger attended Sacred Heart Grammar and High School. During his youth, Roger learned to play the accordion and piano before teaching himself how to play the organ. His skill at the organ made him a dedicated and reliable musician for churches in the Waterbury area and even in the neighboring town of Prospect. Roger’s musicianship also benefited the splendid children's choir at Saint Patrick's. He played organ for any type of church service and especially loved the holidays where Gregorian chants could often be heard. Roger’s strong faith in God and devotion to church was expressed in his playing and his constant efforts to improve and prepare the music for each Mass. He continued this passion for the rest of his life.  His playing touched many, making their celebration of the Mass more meaningful, more filled with grace. In this his playing he thought he was using his God given talents to proclaim the word of Christ during the Mass.

Roger’s curiosity and diligence made him a strong student despite once igniting an explosion in the school chemistry lab. After attaining a bachelor’s degree at Fairfield University, Roger earned a master’s degree and a Doctorate at Fordham university where he met his bride, Nancy.

Roger and Nancy relocated to Wheeling, WV moving into the Overlook apartments. Soon they welcomed their first son Roger in 1966.  Roger was a faculty member at Wheeling College and was the organist for Saint Joseph's Cathedral.  During their early years in Wheeling, Roger and Nancy were blessed with two more sons, Paul and Daniel.

Roger's interest in Computer Science as a tool for use in Social Sciences eventually led him to a position at West Liberty State College and then to West Virginia Northern Community College.  While at WVA Northern, he was integral in the development and growth of three new campuses in Wheeling, Weirton, and New Martinsville along with the renovation of the Wheeling campus to include the old B&O Train Station Building. As with many of Roger’s lifelong endeavors, his role in this expansion improved the lives of other, sustaining local steelworkers and machinists in the 70’s and 80’s when many were losing their jobs.

Roger also co-authored many computer textbooks with his friend Loren Radford.  His love of reading, writing, and the spoken word arose from his passion for education. His family fondly remembers his bitter complaints about the use of slang in everyday speech. He would often lament “that even if we lost the Revolutionary War, folks still would speak English.”

In the fall of 1985, after many years raising their sons in Wheeling, Roger and Nancy sought out the Green Mountain State where Roger joined the Vermont State Colleges as the Director of Computer Services.  At VSC, Roger modernized the delivery of central information services for both the libraries and college campuses.  In Vermont, Roger continued to play the organ at Saint Andrew's in Waterbury, Saint Patrick's in Moretown, and Our Lady of the Snows in Waitsfield.

Finally, in 2016, Roger and Nancy relocated to San Lorenzo, California to bask in the warm weather and care of family provided by his loving son Daniel and daughter-in-law Aimee, along with their children Eliana and William.

Roger’s sense of humor, his passionate lifelong study of politics and history, his love of family, his devotion to faith, and the humanity he shared in treating all others with respect and dignity will be cherished, remembered and missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and all of those who benefited from having met Roger on his journey through life. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local elementary or high school music program or to the institutions below to honor Roger’s lifelong passion for music and education.

Wheeling University
Instructions: At Please direct my support select Other, then at Add a Sub Restriction type Liturgical Music Program

Fordham University
Instructions: At Area(s) of Support select Campus Ministry (Lincoln Center)