Wes Roll, age 80 years, of Bethlehem Township, NJ, died peacefully on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at his home.

Born in Rahway, NJ, July 1, 1942, son of the late George and Mona Kuehner Roll, Wes was raised in Metuchen, NJ, and had lived for many years in Edison, NJ, prior to moving to Bethlehem Township over thirty years ago.

A 1960 graduate of Metuchen High School, Wes would go on to graduate from Lincoln Technical Institute where his natural mechanical and artistic ability was fully realized. Wes was employed for more than fifty years by Walter Heckel Excavating Co., South Plainfield, NJ. His knowledge and ability to fix heavy equipment made him a true asset to the company and his genuine and approachable attitude made him a true mentor to the next generations of works at Heckel’s.

It was at the age of twelve when Wes’s life would change permanently for the better when he became friends with a girl in his grade named Helen Kopas. The two formed an instant friendship, and Wes proudly recalled over the years that he loved her with his entire being from the moment they met. Marrying at St. Stephen’s Church, Perth Amboy, NJ, on June 22, 1963, Helen credits their longevity to respecting one another and to enjoying life, together.

Their union would bring them a daughter, Christine and a son, Wesley, who was his Dad’s best friend, work colleague, and partner in crime when it came to their love of the Model T. He would earn the title “Pop-Pop” two times over with his grandchildren, Nicholas and Courtney, and was truly devoted to his family and so proud of each of them.

Restoring Model T’s from the ground up was more than a hobby to Wes and his son, and they have many trophies and awards proving their dedication. They never sent anything out, crafting all they needed by themselves. One of Wes’s innate abilities was that he could figure almost anything mechanical out, and Helen reminisced that she never once called a repairman as Wes would solve whatever needed fixing!

In addition to his many, many Model T’s and working around the house, Wes had a deep love and appreciation for art and was a master at restoring old phonographs and music boxes. From the mechanical parts to painting free-hand roses on the inside of the music horns, Wes did it all.

With a gentle spirt that loved beauty in all things, Wes will be missed but his genuine love of his family and friends will live on through all who knew him.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Lorena Molineux.

Surviving are his wife, Helen Roll; his daughter and son-in-law, Christine and Michael Wance; his son, Wesley Roll; his grandson and his wife, Nicholas and Amanda Wance; his granddaughter, Courtney Wance; his sister-in-law, Loretta Gronroos; his faithful dog, Jessie; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

Wes will lie in repose on Sunday, March 12, 2023, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Life celebration services officiated by Certified Life Celebrant D.J. Wright will take place on Monday, March 13, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at the funeral home. Everyone is asked to meet at the funeral home on Monday morning beginning at 9:45 a.m. and to kindly follow the instructions of the Wright & Ford Care Team Family Ambassadors upon arrival.

Burial will follow at Bloomsbury Cemetery, 713 Warren Glen Road, Bloomsbury, NJ, and to which all are welcome.

You are encouraged to visit Wes’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

Memorial contributions in his honor and memory may be made to the Church of the Annunciation, via mail to 80 Main Street, Bloomsbury, NJ 08804, or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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