Roland Howard Kluender, 79, passed away peacefully in his home on Friday August 7th, 2026 after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Services will be held at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, located at 3220 Stone Park Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51104. A visitation is scheduled for August 17, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m., at the same location.

“Rollie” was welcomed to the world in Paullina, Iowa, by Howard & Verlie (Ebel) Kluender on December 22nd, 1946 as the younger brother of sister Loretta (Henderson) and later became the older brother of sisters Loraine (Johnson) and Lori (Holland).

Daughters Monica (King) and Lynette (Kluender) arrived and started the “surrounded by women” family phase that lasted nearly his entire life. On February 2nd, 1974, Roland and Gloria (Crosley) were wed and went on to spend nearly 48 years together. The home Roland and Gloria shared on Memorial Drive became the site of laughter and adventures. From summer afternoons riding horses through homemade “obstacle courses” to epic Easter egg hunts to Christmas mornings excitedly opening presents, joy was always in the mix.

Embarking on his firefighter service journey when his girls were young, Roland was a US Army veteran who served as a firefighter during his enlistment in the Vietnam War era. Roland spent 37 years with the Sioux City Fire Department and attained the rank of Captain. Rollie was immensely proud to be a fireman and seeing any of his firefighter family always elicited a smile from him.

An Iowa Hawkeye fan for life, Rollie enjoyed rooting on his team and rocking Hawkeye shirts as often as possible. A classic rock fan in younger years, Roland embraced many genres of music over time and passed that eclectic taste on to his daughters. His affinity with music probably led to his side gig as a stagehand for many years. Happiest at the home affectionately termed “Kluenderville” by the firefighters, the pleasure he got from walking the property picking up sticks and mowing was never fully understood by anyone but him. An animal lover to the core, his life included a plethora of animals including goats, chickens, horses, multiple cats and a series of canine friends ranging from German Shepherds to yorkies (all of whom claimed a special place in his heart). A corvette enthusiast, he possessed several over the years and considered them to be the coolest model ever produced (never to be confused with the ever-present red pickup that handled daily chores).

Granddaughters Adara, Trista, Micole, Melanie and Alexia joined the family at various points in time. All of the girls have fond memories of spending time with their grandpa (some of which definitely include the “bumpy truck”). A big ol’ teddy bear, each of the girls had their grandpa wrapped around their fingers ❤️ Great-grandchildren Skylar and Silas brought another level of “softie” to the surface with their arrivals and Roland relished every minute he got to spend with them.

Roland’s immediate family would like to thank his caregiver, Rosie, for providing consistent companionship, comfort and assistance during the final chapter of his life. Rosie’s assistance was invaluable and no thanks can truly express how much it helped during a very difficult time.

While Roland will be greatly missed, his family takes comfort in knowing that he is now at peace and will be welcomed by those family and friends that preceded him in death.