Roger Dale Gelsinger, 70, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away quickly on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from heart failure. A visitation will held on Saturday, April 11 from 3-4 p.m. with the Memorial Service at 4 p.m. at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS. Please join the family after the service at Zarda BBQ, 11931 W. 87th St., Lenexa, KS for a complimentary meal of BBQ.
Roger was born October 31, 1955, in Kansas City, MO, the son of Joseph Jackson and Audrey Lee (Hayes) Gelsinger. He was a graduate of Shawnee Mission West High School and from K-State with a degree in Flour Milling and enjoyed a successful career at The Association of Operative Flour Millers.
Roger married Linda Baum and together they had a daughter Heather, who was born in 1988. Heather was united in marriage to Cory Gallagher. Heather was a graduate of the Washburn School of Law and was a lawyer for the State and Federal Securities and Exchange Commission. Heather died in 2022 with Roger experiencing losing both Heather and Linda in their early 30's from the same type of brain tumor, Diffuse Midline Glioma.
In 1994 Roger married Janet and they enjoyed 32 years of happiness together. Janet and Heather became Mother and Daughter.
Some of Roger's favorite things were his favorite band, the Blues Traveler, and for the last 9 years traveled with Janet to the Red Rocks Theater in Colorado, to go to their 4th of July concerts.
Roger and Janet loved to travel including:
1994-Honeymoon in Maui at the Embassy Suites
2006-Bought a Bluegreen Timeshare-Big Cedar and other resorts
2017-Mediterranean Cruise-Spain, France and Italy
2022-Rhine River cruise in Europe
2023-Alaska cruise and land trip in Denali National Park
2024-30th anniversary in Kauai, St. Louis, Denver, Arizona and Minnesota.
In retirement, Roger's hobbies included his favorite brewery, Transport Brewery in Shawnee where since 1991 he had his own mug labeled "The Dude" Roger and Janet could be found there almost every Thursday. He was known for his kind and generous heart.
A philosophy that Roger lived by was:
"Always have a plan, but be willing to make game day decisions!"
Roger recently said, "For all the good, bad and ugly in my life, I look where we are right now and life is fine". Roger experienced much happiness and success as well as experiencing the deaths and grief that comes with life.
Roger is survived by his wife, Janet Gelsinger.
He liked the quote from the Church of the Resurrection
"The worst thing is never the last thing"