Sr. Mary Clara Roling, SND
Funeral Mass was held recently at Notre Dame Center in Thousand Oaks for Sister of Notre Dame Mary Clara Roling, 88, who died April 20.
Born in Elyria, Ohio, the youngest of seven children, she followed in the footsteps of her oldest sister, Sister Mary Lynita, who had earlier entered the Sisters of Notre Dame. In 1945, their youngest brother, Nicholas, was ordained a member of the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor.
Father Joseph Shea, pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Simi Valley, presided at Sister Mary Clara’s Mass of Resurrection. Sister Roling had ministered at St. Rose of Lima for many years in the religious education program. The Rite of Committal took place at Assumption Cemetery, Simi Valley, on April 27.
Violet Iris Rose Pompey Royer
Funeral Mass was held June 18 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City for Violet Iris Rose Pompey Royer, 101, who died June 12 in Porterville.
Survived by her daughter, Sister Judith Royer, and her retired-priest son, Msgr. Ronald Royer --- who cared for her over the last 12 years --- she contributed generously to helping purchase the Community Church of Springville as a Mission of St. Anne’s Church in Porterville.
A Los Angeles native, Violet (“Vi”) was very athletic, winning at age 16 a local six-day big band dance marathon from Avalon to Bakersfield, making national news. Her marriage in 1929 to Ed Royer lasted 51 years, until his death in 1980. Their second daughter, Carole Redmon, is also deceased.
During the Depression, Vi and her children would frequent Santa Monica’s Muscle Beach, where she participated in athletic workouts with Hollywood stuntmen. She became a synchronized swimmer and put on water shows and won many medals at the world Masters Championships throughout the U.S. She also had the distinction of being the oldest female certified lifeguard in the country, making eight rescues.
After moving to Leisure World in 1967, Vi won women’s golf championships for 12 out of 15 years. She also served as sacristan at St. Nicholas Church. Commenting on his mother’s passing, Msgr. Royer said: “I will always thank God for good parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and my Church for forming my character. God has blessed us.”
