Jay D. Roeter, D.D.S.

Jay has been a Rotarian since 1995 and has 1-year of perfect attendance already! He is a Paul Harris Fellow.

Jay left town as soon as he completed high school. He said that it was so he could "seek his fortune."

"Ivan Clemmons and I started hitchhiking south. We had $5 between us and the clothes on our backs. Our food was bologna, bread and mayonnaise. The first night we stayed in a $.50 hotel in Odessa, Washington. Fortunately we both found jobs the next day, driving trucks on wheat farms for $10 per day, room and board included!"

Jay's good fortune continued in that fall of 1949, when his brother who had a wife and two kids, let him crash at their Olympia home and Jay got a half-day job at a "76" gas station. His first car purchase soon followed, a 13-year old green Ford coupe for $10 down and $1 per day.

Jay soon got a second 8-hour job as a grease monkey at a Studebaker/Cadillac dealer. With the money rolling in, Jay was soon able to afford a Ford 2-door "one-owner" sedan with white-wall tires and fender skirts! This babe-magnet was only 10-years old!

In 1950 the Korean War started, and his brother's wife was happy when Jay enlisted in the U.S. Navy and left for boot camp in San Diego. For three years Jay fought the war in Norfolk, Virginia and in the Caribbean Sea, as a radarman on the USS Sanborn, training Marines to make amphibious landings. Surprisingly, they made him a Petty Officer First Class and sent him off to Sasebo, Japan for six months on the USS Chatterer, until being discharged in 1954.

In January, 1955 Jay enrolled at the Univ. of Wash as a predental major.
"I worked part-time pumping gas and used the GI Bill to pay my way. During this time I met and dated a wonderful, beautiful young lady, Joan Doxtater!"
Out of 850 applicants, Jay was one of the 75 accepted for the class of 1956-1957! In addition to to that "happiest day of my life", Jay enumerates other "happiest days":

• March 15, 1957 when Joan and I were married.
• December 14, 1957 when our son, Mike, was born.
• December 12, 1958 when our son, Mark, was born.
• March 14, 1960 when our son Steve was born.
• April 17, 1961 when a beautiful daughter, Lisa, was born.
• June 6, 1960 when I graduated from dental school.
• July 10, 1960 when I received notice that I had passed the State Board of Examiners and was now Jay Rotter, D.D.S.!
• 1963 when I changed my name and was confirmed in the Catholic church.
• "In September of 1960, I bought a pediatric dental practice in Wenatchee."

In 1971, after practicing dentistry for 10 years, Jay and Joan thought the family needed a change. With another dentist taking over his practice, home and car, Jay, Joan and five kids, ages 3 through 13, were off to Basel, Switzerland where Jay worked for a year in a school dental clinic. The family learned the language and traveled to Germany, Austria, Venice, Rome, Naples and Athens and vacationed in Spain.

Another high point in Jay's life (14,411 feet above sea level) was when he and his oldest son and his son's fiancee climbed mount Rainier in July 1980.

Jay was surprisingly elected to president of Wenatchee Rotary (1987-88) and was sent to Munich, Germany.

Jay sold his dental practice in 1997. He stays busy in semi retirement, doing dental treatment for non-profit organizations and handicapped children.

He reports finding retirement to be free of boredom, allowing time for reading and travel.

In reviewing his life, Jay observes,

"My values were developed as I grew up on the farm with a strong belief in God.

"While serving in the US Navy and at Radar School, I realized that I could succeed in college. That, plus my work ethic gave me the courage to go full speed ahead.

"One of the most gratifying things in my life is to observe our children as parents. They are wonderful parents and all of our grandchildren are great kids, all eleven of them.

"It is nice to know that our offspring will always contribute to the solution to the world's problems and not be a part of the problem. They will add to the dignity of mankind rather than to breaking it down.

"It's a wonderful life!"

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