Roger Stearman was born on October 13, 1937 in Grand Haven, Michigan. His mother's name was Eldora and his brother's name was Ken Martin. Roger spends his childhood idolizing his older brother Ken, even if it means being used as a bb gun target! Ken and Roger stay very close through their entire lives.
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Life story
October 13, 1937
Roger Stearman was born on October 13, 1937 in Grand Haven, Michigan. His mother's name was Eldora and his brother's name was Ken Martin. Roger spends his childhood idolizing his older brother Ken, even if it means being used as a bb gun target! Ken and Roger stay very close through their entire lives.
June 1, 1955
Roger graduates from Grand Haven High School. His extra-cirricular school activities included Senior Play Crew, Junior Play Crew, Prom Committee and Junior class Vice President.
March 1, 1957
Roger leaves Michigan seeking fame and fortune in California. Roger and friends John Van Epps and Bob Nauta drive to California, taking turns towing their three racing boats. The three work various jobs and share an apartment while racing class-B runabout race boats. Fame and fortune not found as Roger returns to Michigan around 1958!
May 1, 1964
A true testimate to his character and determination, Roger alternates working and schooling from 1955 through 1964 saving money to pay for his education. He attends Western Michigan University from 1959-1960, and Michigan State University from 1960-1963. Finally in 1964, Roger graduated from University of Michigan with a BSE in Mechanical Engineering.
September 1, 1964
Roger moved from Michigan to Southern California to work in the Aerospace industry at North American Rockwell Corp (now Rockwell International) in Anaheim. This "self made man" is on his way.........
March 1, 1965
Roger married Donna Wickham, a girl he had known from high school.
January 3, 1968
Roger becomes a father when he and Donna welcome their son Ben to the world.
June 1, 1969
After Roger and Donna separated, Roger moved to Northern California (San Mateo) to be near Ben and began working for Diablos Systems, Inc. (later purchased by Xerox) where he gained a great deal of knowlege on the design and manufacture of rotating memory storage media (compact disks).
1970
Roger and Donna divorce.
June 1, 1972
Having made enough money from the founder's shares of Diablo, Roger purchased his first home in San Mateo, California. Ahhh, the American Dream and the mortgage that goes with it!
September 1, 1978
Roger decides he is too smart to work for Xerox-Diablo anymore and starts his own company called Exclusive Design Company (EDC). EDC designs and manufactures floppy disks.
September 1, 1983
EDC incorporates and begins manufacturing thin-film hard disks.
March 1, 1985
Roger meets Lynn Grosjean through their dentist. Everyone is "all smiles" as this begins a long relationship with her that includes becoming a father to her son, Matt.
June 1, 1986
Roger's son Ben graduates from high school and gets ready to begin college at University of California, Berkeley, in the fall. Roger is very proud as Ben goes on to become second-team all-american golfer and future Cal golf Hall of Famer.
October 1, 1987
After selling 40% of his shares in EDC, Roger, and wanting to live in Carmel, CA for the golf, he buys the fixer-upper Woodwind.
January 1988
EDC has grown to 42 employees, occupies over 16,000 square feet of building space in San Mateo and earns $10 million in annual sales.
May 1, 1989
With 12 years of hard work and dedication under his belt, Roger retires from EDC because of differences of opinion regarding the future direction of the company. He remains on the board of directors and gets to work fixing-up his fixer-upper in Carmel.
June 1, 1989
Matt graduates from high school and prepares to attend Humboldt State University in Northern California. Ben played #1 on the Cal Berkeley golf team. This was a proud year for Roger.
July 1990
Roger asks Lynn to move into his home in Carmel. They spend a large part of the next years entertaining and travelling by car together.
May 1991
While EDC struggles under the direction of its management team (the one that Roger left over), the Board of Directors elects Roger as it Chairman. Within 2 years, a new management team is brought in and and the company increases its annual sales to $20 million.
September 10, 1994
Roger marries his long time girlfriend, Lynn Grosjean at his home in Carmel with Ben and Matt by his side. Third time is a charm!
October 1, 1994
Selling all his remaining shares of EDC to its employees (thus making it 100% employee-owned), Roger settles into retirement and looks forward to travelling, spending more time with friends, and of course, playing a lot of golf!
May 1, 1995
Roger becomes a member of Corral de Tierra Country Club. Pars and birdies become plentiful, and cursing diminishes!
July 1, 1997
Roger and Lynn divorce. So much for third time being a charm! Roger decides marriage is not his strong suit!
January 30, 2000
Roger meets Beryl Salerno at a super bowl party. They are set up by mutual friends Bob and Ginnie Bobbins. It turns out to be a touchdown as the two begin a long-term relationship.
September 8, 2001
Roger proudly attends the wedding of his son Matt to Theresa.
May 5, 2005
Roger becomes "Grandpa Roger" when Matt's son, Garrett Matthew Grosjean is born in Roseville, CA.
January 9, 2009
Roger becomes a second-time Grandfather with the birth of Matt and Theresa's daughter, Ella Reese Grosjean.
March 2, 2010
After a corageous fight, we lost Roger on March 2, 2010 at the age of 72 to Alzheimer's Disease.