Roland Gansman

Cruso, Roland John Gansman, age 90, passed away on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native of Belleville, Illinois, he was the son of the late Louis Frederick and Rosa Catherine Schneider Gansmann and was also preceded in death by ten siblings. He was a US Navy veteran of World War II. Roland was employed as a music and choral teacher at Wheaton Community High School for 25 years and was an accomplished jazz musician. He enjoyed playing saxophone and clarinet and performed with a traveling swing band. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Lou McLeod Gansman; two daughters, Susan Chummers and her husband, Paul, of San José, California and Dona Baucom and her husband, Everett, of Chapel Hill; seven grandchildren, Michael, Colin, Laura and Matthew Chummers, Kirsten Earley, and Sarah and Alyssa Baucom; and one great granddaughter, Eva Earley. A celebration of life service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2010 in the chapel of the WNC Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountains with military rites. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 90 Stiles Road, Canton, NC 28716. Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. For those who desire, an on-line memorial register is available at "Obituaries" at "www.wellsfuneralhome.com"

Previous Events