Rollie Marquardt

Memorial Services for Roland “Rollie” R. Marquardt, of Albert Lea, will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, June 19, at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea. The Reverend Jennifer Gonsalves will officiate. Military Honors will be accorded by Albert Lea Veteran’s Organizations. Friends may visit with family one hour before services at the funeral home. Rollie died on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at ThorneCrest Retirement Center. He was 97. He was born on April 6, 1921, in Bowler, WI, the son of Paul and Clara (Raddant) Marquardt. Rollie grew up with three brothers and a sister-the four siblings exactly matched the number of other people who were in his graduating class. He grew up on a farm and like most others, loved baseball. His brothers convinced him to go to a tryout at a baseball school in Fond Du Lac WI. He ended up signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers Organization as a pitcher. In the 1940’s there were more levels and leagues, he ended up finishing his first season in Reading, PA. He was united in marriage to Florence Fuhrman on February 7, 1941. He continued to play baseball until 1942 when he took time away to serve in the US Navy. Following his honorable discharge, he went back to farm for a couple of years. He got back into baseball in 1946, playing for Class-B and in 1947 moved to the Triple-A Montreal Royals. While with the Royals, he went through spring training with Jackie Robinson and was proud to be in the stands when Jackie made his debut in Brooklyn in April of 1947. Rollie hurt his arm in the spring of 1947 ending his pro career. After his time in Triple-A, a job and the opportunity to pitch for the Packers of the Southern Minnesota League brought him to Albert Lea. He worked for Wilson & Co. as a delivery driver until he retired in 1983. He continued to pitch for the Packers until an arm injury caused him to call it a career. Throughout his life he enjoyed watching and participating in sports. He bowled in earlier years, and enjoyed 4-5 rounds of golf a week into his early 90’s. Rollie is survived by his sons Larry and Bob both of Albert Lea, sister-in-law Althyn Marquardt of Mankato and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Florence, his parents Paul and Clara, his step mother Mary; brothers Earl, Edgar, Delmar and sister Gladys.