Donald 'Don' E. Roloff

Donald Edward Roloff was born in Rockford to Ina Jean (Wilson Roloff) and Edward Norman Roloff on August 20, 1953. He died unexpectedly and suddenly at home on October 31, 2025. Donald is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Denise (Timm) Roloff, his daughter Jennifer Roloff Welch, and his beautiful and precious grandchildren, Elyse (Ellie) Welch and Ryan Welch whom he adored and loved so much.

Don graduated from West Middle School, West High School (Class of ’71), The Brown Institute for Radio Broadcasting in Minneapolis, Rock Valley College (Associate’s), and Rockford University (Bachelor’s). At West High, Don was first the sports editor of the newspaper and then the newspaper editor his senior year. He worked full-time while he attended RVC and Rockford University.

Don married Denise on May 4, 1974, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church. Their daughter, Jennifer, was born in August 1975. Don worked as a DJ in Waverly, Iowa where he was tasked with broadcasting the 6 on 6 women’s basketball games (he says he wishes someone would have given him a heads up about how that was supposed to be played and that it was a major deal in Iowa) and Rochelle, IL, where Denise and Jenni would listen to him on the radio and where he called Rochelle High football games. After moving to Rockford from Rochelle, Don began work first at Marion Health and Safety and then at Warner Lambert where his sister Sharon (Roloff) Starbuck also worked. Don made a very successful career with Warner Lambert, moving up from supervisor to production manager, master scheduler, and then leading Pfizer’s Global SAP program in New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Toronto, Mexico, Ireland, Spain, in addition to Rockford. He and Denise built three houses together and managed properties, as well. When not working, caring for his family, house, and yard, Don could be found working out at the Knights of Columbus and more recently at NorthPointe. He was a triathlete for many years and a runner for many more. He enjoyed fishing, boating, gardening, running, biking, swimming, playing racquetball in the 80’s, mountain biking in the 90’s, and completing “The Great Loop” in the 2000’s with Denise and many friends and family who helped get the trawler around and around the U.S., from rivers, such as the Mississippi, to the Gulf of Mexico, to the Bahamas, up the Atlantic, and back into the U.S. Don continued exercising three times a week or more throughout his life.

Don started a company with his brother, Ron Roloff, in 1988. It was a compact disc and record store called Strictly Discs in Madison, WI. In the early years, with the support of their Dad and each other, they made “the business”, as they called it, a family success.

Don’s proudest moments were watching his grandchildren, Elyse (Ellie) and Ryan Welch do absolutely anything, from building legos to playing basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, track, football, skateboarding, dance and hip-hop recitals, and years of them playing instruments (drums, clarinet, piano, ukulele, violin, and guitar). You name it; he was there to support them and cheer them on. He helped them with math facts and reading, played games and watched movies with them and Grandma Denise in their house, and built playgrounds and go carts for them. They never missed a Grandparents’ Day from pre-k to high school. Years earlier, Don attended Boylan games with Denise to watch their daughter on the pom team. He never tired of being there for our family. After retiring at the age of 56, Don loved to work on his lawn, especially his berm and his trees; he enjoyed putting together 1,000 piece puzzles, watching the Packers play, feeding the birds, deer, squirrels and one racoon in their yard, fishing with his grandson who is his namesake, granddaughter, cousins, brother, sister, family and dear friends, visiting 40 colleges with his granddaughter and then visiting her at her perfect school of choice, boating with his dear friends and taking his grandchildren and their friends on boat rides, tubing, and water skiing. He loved nature, especially trees, rivers, and lakes. Mostly, he just enjoyed time with family, friends, and neighbors.

Don is survived by his wife Denise, daughter Jennifer, grandchildren Elyse (Ellie) and Ryan Welch, sister Sharon Starbuck, brother Ron Roloff, cousins he adored, in-laws he loved, and nephews and nieces whom he also loved so much. He is gone too soon and will be missed beyond words.

In his honor, please plant a tree, a garden, or a perennial flower. Memorials can be made to the family which we will use to create a memorial garden in Don’s honor with trees, flowers, and a memorial bench where people can visit, enjoy the peace of nature, and remember Don.

A visitation for Don will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. through 2:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 3910 N. Rockton Ave, Rockford, IL 61103. Funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. Supper for family and friends at 4:00 p.m., details to be provided at service. To send online condolences and share memories, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.