Obituary of Charles Felix Rola

Savona, NY: Charles Felix Rola, age 86 of Savona, NY and formerly of New York City, died Monday, September 17, 2012 at the Corning Hospital, Corning, NY. He was born February 21, 1926 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, the son of Joseph and Natalie Rola. He was an US Navy Veteran and American Theater Medal and Victory Medal recipient. He served on a vessel that searched out and destroyed submarines. While Mr. Rola was in the Navy he also worked in the Military Police and was an avid boxer. He enjoyed playing soccer and earned a brown belt in karate, and was an avid poker player winning tournaments even in his 80's. Mr. Rola came from a family background of law, engineering and law enforcement; a work ethic was instilled early in life. As a teenager he carried blocks of ice and worked in the garment district. As a young man he was introduced to the late Ed Sullivan who recommended that he should become an actor. Mr. Rola thanked Mr. Sullivan but said that he knew many unemployed actors, and he had a family to support and needed to work. As an adult he held various jobs; as a truck driver, superintendent of apartment buildings, hairdresser, worked on the NYC waterfront, where he sustained a back injury that affected him life long, the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Ingersoll Rand where he was also injured. As a result of skills learned earlier in life he was able to build his own home. Mr. Rola obtained an Assoc. degree in human services at CCC. Mr. Rola also worked at the Bath VAMC, the Project Reach, the Craig Development Center, where he became permanently partially disabled after falling down a flight of stairs, and was the program director for Senior Employment Programs. He was a valued member of the National Committee to preserve Social Security and Medicare. He retired as a NYS Regional Director for the Secretary of Labor for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. He acted as a liason between federal, state, county and commonwealth of Puerto Rico government agencies and private sector. Mr. Rola was a past member of the Charles E. Wescott American Legion Post 173 in Bath, he was an active member of the Green Party and founding member and past vice president of the League of Women Voters. He was instrumental in their involvement to recently obtain a moratorium against fracking in NYS and the implementation of the optical scan voting system in Steuben County and New York State. He was a strong supporter of the Boy and Girl Scouts of America, the Police Benevolent Assoc., the Sierra Club, Public Broadcasting and founding member of the tree project in the area. He volunteered for the American Red Cross, survey center, drop-in center, and food donation program for low income families locally. Mr. Rola had a life long interest in current affairs, the sciences and history. Mr. Rola was described by family and friend as being a loving and generous husband and father, kind, gentleman, true, active, wise, intelligent, tenacious, and acted with resolve. He is survived by daughter Calen. He was predeceased by his wife Eileen O'Sullivan in 1987, to whom he was married for 34 years, and his parents and sister. A Mass of Roman Catholic Burial will be celebrated today, September 21, 2012 at 1:00 pm at the Bath VA Union Chapel with Father Pat Connor as celebrant. Burial with Military Honors will follow in the Bath National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send donations In Memory of Charles F. Rola, Living Memorial c/o the Savona Free Library, Savona, NY 14879. Online condolences may be made at www.fagansfuneralhome.com