Roelof Bosma

"It is sad, but sometimes moving on with your life starts with goodbye." Carrie Underwood.

Roelof Bosma passed away on June 6, 2022, at The Carpenter House in Baton Rouge. He was born on July 25, 1947, in Arnham, The Netherlands. When he was 14, his family moved from The Netherlands to Monterrey, Mexico where his father was starting up a new manufacturing plant for his Dutch employer. Roelof graduated from The American School Foundation of Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. After high school he attended North Carolina State University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. From N.C. State, he went to The Pennsylvania State University for his Masters in Mechanical Engineering. For several years after completing his education, he worked for an international fiber company which allowed him to reside in numerous states as well as Holland and Germany. While living in Tennessee, he met his soulmate and future wife, Stella. A new job with ExxonMobil brought them to Baton Rouge which then became their home. He later worked for Jacobs Engineering Group and the former URS Engineering. He held various positions during his career including Financial Analyst, Lead Mechanical Engineer, Project Engineer and Project Manager. Since his retirement, he and his wife have traveled to six continents and more than 40 countries. Among all the beautiful countries they traveled, nothing could trump their annual trips to Cabo San Lucas and MatzaIan, Mexico. When he was not traveling, he enjoyed gardening and sailing on his sailboat, Spring Fever.

Roelof is preceded in death by his parents, Gerard Sippe Klaas Bosma and Maria Antonia Ryke Bosma.

Roelof is survived by his beloved wife, Stella Beard; brother, Anton Bosma and his wife Lavita; niece, Dr. Natasha Wheaton (Will), and nephew Anton Bosma Jr.; two great nephews, Jack and Owen Wheaton; stepchildren, Kim Pollard (Brian), and William Beard, Ill; step grandchildren, Chelsea and Alex Pollard; sisters-in-law, Margaret Cole and Carolyn Lantz (Rich); and his many loving friends in the U.S. and other countries who he enjoyed spending time with.

Special wishes from Roelof written in 2018, "Enjoy life as much as you can. See you later elsewhere."

A memorial service will be held on June 29 at 11:00 am in the chapel at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy., Doors will open at 10:30 for visitation followed by a Celebration of Life at 12:30 pm at the Conference Center in The Burden Museum and Gardens, 4560 Essen Lane. A private burial will be held (at a date to be determined) at The Santa Barbara Cemetery in Santa Barbara, CA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to The American Cancer Society.