Obituary - NRPA People - Brief Article - Obituary

Parks & Recreation, April, 2002

Roger Florey succumbed to cancer on January 21, at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill. Florey was active in parks and recreation for more than 30 years, starting as a volunteer coach for youth sports in Rolling Meadows and was elected to the board of commissioners of the Rolling Meadows Park District in 1977. There he was considered the park district "historian" and a mentor for many fellow board members. Florey became active in the Illinois Association of Park Districts more than 10 years ago and served on many committees including chairing the Seminars Committee and co-chairing the Joint Conference Committee in 2000. He was elected to the IAPD Board of Directors in 1996 and became IAPD president in 2001. He served on the Great Lakes Regional Council and was elected to the NRPA Board of Trustees in 2001.

Florey was a tireless advOcate for parks and recreation in Illinois and in Washington, DC. His tenure as IAPD president is remembered for his outreach to individual board members and considerable travel to member agencies and regional meetings. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, their two sons and two granddaughters. Florey will be greatly missed by his family, those in his community, the IAPD family and his many friends at NRPA and in the field of parks and recreation.