Roger Byron "Whitey" Garland

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Roger Byron "Whitey" Garland, a loving father and grandfather, who passed away on April 6, 2025, at the age of 82.  He lived his life as a great example of a responsible and loving leader of our family with the love of his life Karen Louise Garland (Schreiber) who passed away in March 2022, always putting family first. He lived most of his years in Malta IL until his retirement.

He was born in Higden, Arkansas in a family of 9 children and worked alongside the family to make ends meet picking fruit. He dropped out of high school and joined the US Navy before his 18th birthday. Shortly after service he came to Illinois to visit his brothers, where he then met his wife and started a family while working many jobs before spending most of his life in construction/heavy equipment (including Stahl, Elliott and Wood, Kyler, George Bros) and then in the transportation department at Northern Illinois University. At NIU his work consisted of driving a bus for organizational groups including sports teams, nursing students and several other groups. During this time he also had an asphalt sealing business with his sons, Whitey and Sons, and coached many youth baseball teams.

He retired from NIU in 1997. He had a long and enjoyable retirement which included a lot of snowbird travel between better climates for winter (mostly Florida) and Ottertail, Minnesota (primary residence after retirement.)

Roger is preceded in death by his wife, Karen, brothers and sisters (James Daniel (Slim), Paul, William (Bill), Tom, Betty, Karen and Doug), his parents James and Orpha. He is survived by his 3 children, Dan, Tim (Doreen), and Lori; and his grandchildren, Shane (Sharvelle) and Mercedes, and great grandchildren, Taelynn, Logan and Dallas, and sister Barbara. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Celebration of life will take place at a later date. Cremation rites and arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.