Roger G. Pinette ’51 died on March 17, 2011, in Homosassa Springs, Florida.

(The following was provided by the Times Record on March 25, 2011:)

HOMOSASSA SPRINGS, FL — Roger G. Pinette, 87, of Sugarmill Woods in Homosassa Springs, died peacefully on March 17, 2011, following a long illness. He was born in Topsham on October 21, 1923, the eldest son and fourth child of Ernestine and Charles Pinette.

He is survived by Sheila, his devoted and loving wife of sisty-four years and four children: Nancy J. Hadd of St. Albans, VT; Dennis R. Pinette and his wife, Megan, of Belfast, ME; Ellen L. Busl and her husband, Kevin, of Wethersfield, VT, and G. Mark Pinette and his wife, MaryEllen, of Loudonville, NY. He is also survived by a sister, Cecille Gagnon of Brunswick and Venise Whitehead of Windsor, CT. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Roger was predeceased by a sister, Simone Atwood of Belgrade, ME, and brothers, Jacques and Laurent Pinette, both of Brunswick.

Mr. Pinette saw active duty in the “Mighty 8th” Air Force during World War II as a bomber pilot over Europe and special air transport assignments in the Pacific theater. Following his discharge from the Air Force in 1947, he enrolled in Bowdoin College and graduated in 1950 with a B.S. degree in chemistry. Throughout his career he worked on many challenging projects in the fields of extrusion, polymer science, rheology, and fiber optics. He was instrumental in the development of coaxial cable manufacture and retired from Belden Wire and Cable in 1989.

Roger was also an avid student of life with a deep and passionate curiosity of history, literature and the natural beauty of the United States. His love of the written word culminated in his authorship of On Modes of Communication, a comprehensive educational guide on figures of speech in the English language published in 2009.