Much loved, Roland (Rolly) Badavinac passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on June 20, 2024, with family by his side. He was born Nov. 5, 1933, in the family home in Pengilly, Minnesota, to Peter and Martha Balaviniac. He was the third of four boys.
At the age of 17, he joined the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. A patriotic man, he served from 1951 to 1955 and was discharged as staff sergeant (E5). He was part of the 1329 air crew as a gunner and navigator. He was an aviation enthusiast who obtained his private pilot’s license in 1957.
After working in the Taconite Plant in Northern Minnesota for 12 years, he had the opportunity in 1969 to move his family to Washington state. He worked several years in Portland at Surface Combustion Engineering and then had an opportunity to move to Centralia in 1972. He was one of the first employees at Washington Irrigation and Development, WIDCO. His career lasted until retirement in 1989. He was in management his whole career there.
Rolly was very active in many civic organizations and joined the VFW in Pergilly in 1956. He was the commander for two years from 1959 to 1961. In Chehalis, he was VFW commander from 2005 to 2007. He was a 32-degree Mason at Centralia Lodge No. 63, a Shriner, past president of the Lewis County Shriners and a Jester. But his heart belonged to the Centralia American Legion Post 17 for over 30 years.
One of his favorite things was hunting, which he did in Minnesota, Washington and Colorado. He kept his family in venison but never made the “Boone & Crockett” Club. He also enjoyed fishing from Alaska all the way down to the Baja of Mexico.
Rolly and Jean spent their retirement years motor homing, taking the occasional cruise and generally traveling with family and friends.
Roland is survived by daughters, Connie (Spencer) Davis and Cheryl Boehm; son, Scott (Geri) Badavinac; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren with one on the way.
He is preceded in death by parents; wife of 62 years, Jean; daughter, Kim; son-in-law, Larry Boehm; and brothers, George (Judo), Peter and Robert.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at Centralia American Legion Post 17, 111 W. Main St., Centralia, Washington.
Donations can be made to the Post 17 in lieu of flowers.
A private interment will be at the Tahoma National Cemetery where he and Jean will be placed with military honors, together again, true patriots who unapologetically loved the U.S.A.
He is pictured with his namesake great-grandson Rolly.
