Ltc William Roger Waldrop

On December 18, 2019, LTC William Roger Waldrop went home to be with his Lord and Savior who he invited into his life while attending First Baptist Church of Rockmart as a teen and where he was baptized by Reverend Corley.


Roger was born in Haralson County on October 27, 1938, the eldest son of Harvey Donald Waldrop and Willie Mae Chupp Waldrop. Roger is survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara Johnson Waldrop and his daughter, Angela Halliburton (Tom) of Marietta and his son, John Roger Waldrop of Braselton, Georgia. His siblings are Patricia Waldrop Dyer (Mike) of Rockmart and the late Henry Waldrop. He has four grandsons whom he loved dearly, Ty Halliburton, Hunter Waldrop, Will Halliburton and Parker Waldrop as well as several nieces and nephews.


Roger was a graduate of Rockmart High School class of 1956 and Distinguished Military Graduate Class of 1960 from North Georgia College with a Bachelors in Business Administration. He held a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, was a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia, and a graduate of LSU Banking School of the South.


Roger was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army, serving twenty years and attaining the grade of Lieutenant Colonel. During those twenty years Roger served with the 101st Airborne Division, 1st CAV Division and I Corps in Korea, and the 3rd Infantry Battalion Reinforced (The Old Guard) in Arlington, Virginia. As a Military Policemen for 15 of those 20 years he served as a Company Commander, Commander of General Creighton Abrams’s Personal Security Detachment in Vietnam, Instructor at the Infantry School at Ft. Benning, Provost Marshal Office for Training and Doctrine Command as Chief of Corrections and Chief of Planning and Operations; Assignment Officer for Military Police and Foreign Area Officers and a Battalion Commander at the Military Police School at Ft. McClellan, Alabama. Roger loved all of his military assignments but was always especially proud to be part of the 101st Airborne, a Battalion Commander, Company Commander and Ceremonies Officer for the Old Guard in Arlington.


After retirement from the military in 1980, Roger was the Public Safety Director for the City of Rockmart and then became a senior bank officer for 15 years as either Vice President, Chief Executive Officer or Division President at Rockmart Bank, Trust Company Bank, McIntosh State Bank and Greater Rome Bank, now Greater Community Bank.


Roger believed strongly in serving others and giving back to one’s community; therefore, his service did not end with twenty years in the military but went on to being Rockmart’s City Manager, Rockmart City Councilman, a Polk County Commissioner, Member of the Rockmart Development Authority, Chairman of the Polk County Development Authority and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Georgia Board of Corrections and the Georgia Police Officers and Standards Training Council (POST). Roger was an active Rotarian serving with the Rockmart Rotary, Charter President of the Jackson-Butts County Rotary and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. His community service continued with Presidency of both the Polk and Butts Counties Chamber of Commerce.


Though Baptized in the Baptist faith, Roger was a member of Rockmart First United Methodist. He served the Methodist Church in numerous places to include Virginia, Michigan and Georgia and many positions to include Church Choir, Treasurer, Council on Ministries, Chairman of the Administrative Board, Adult Sunday School Teacher and District Board of Trustees.


Roger was often considered a hard “task master”, but never expected more of his fellow workers then he was willing to give of himself. He excelled in so many areas but never felt he had done enough and was always ready for the next challenge to present itself be it military, community, or church.


Roger is already missed by his loving family but they rest in knowing he believed and trusted his Lord when He said in John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Rest in Peace Faithful Servant.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 2:00 pm in the Rockmart First United Methodist Church with Rev. David Autry and Rev. Thomas Hall officiating. Interment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery with military honors provided by the Honor Guard of Brown-Wight Post #12 of The American Legion.

Pallbearers will include: Ty Halliburton, Hunter Waldrop, Will Halliburton, Parker Waldrop, Brian Kennedy, Chris Kennedy and Norman Bauer. Honorary pallbearers will include: Col. Frank Reece, Col. Gerald Lord, MG. Jack Wheeler, Col. Terry Baggett, Col. Ed Sills, Lanny Gober, Benny Tolbert, Tom Caldwell, Ronald Brackett and Pete Malone.

The family will receive friends Friday, December 20, 2019 from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the funeral home.


In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made in Roger’s Memory to either University of North Georgia Corps of Cadets at UNG Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 1599, Dahlonega, GA 30533 (Specify gift for the Corps of Cadet Fund) or the Alzheimer’s Association at: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

The Alvis Miller & Son Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements for LTC William Roger Waldrop.