AOS FOUNDER TRIBUTE AOS Co-Founder Leaves Legacy for All General Dentists T he AOS lost one of its greatest leaders and supporters with the recent passing of Dr. George R. Roland of Rockwall, Texas. Born on May 24, 1918, he received degrees from Boston’s Bentley School of Business and Finance, Howard Payne College of Brownwood, Texas, and finally Baylor Dental College. He was a veteran of WW II, beginning the war as a Private and ending it as an officer with the rank of Captain. Gaining the rank of an officer was a pivotal moment in George’s life, honored as so by his interment in his military uniform. While stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, he met his wife of 69 years, Jessie Julia Mayo. They were blessed with four sons. Both George and the AOS were fortunate that he practiced his chosen profession of dentistry for 50 years. In 1975, he co-founded the American Orthodontic Society with Drs. Charles Yates and Bill Wyatt, and served as its director for many years. At the 2003 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA, he was honored as the most distinguished member of our organization and, at that same meeting, he presented the first-ever Dr. George R. Roland Lifetime Achievement Award to Ms. Kay Gerety. This new award was commissioned by the AOS Board of Directors to recognize his service to the American Orthodontic Society. Some jokingly said the theme of Dr. Roland’s life was “my way” and still others would say, "my way or the highway!” In many ways, Dr. Roland became part of the defini-tion of the words stubborn and determined. His is a story of an underdog who overcame obstruc-tion after obstruction to become the professional success and beloved man he was. In some ways, his parents, who migrated from Armenia around 1912, fostered his determination. During the great depression, his dad had to peddle fruit on the street to feed his family. The shame that George felt from this fueled his determina-tion to make a success of himself. He was a man of great intellect, insight and tremendous pride for his family and experienced a life-time of professional success. George showed great courage as he faced a cancer with little hope of victory. Instead, he reflected to friends on many occasions, “After 90 years, it’s been a heck of a good trip!” Thanks George for sharing that trip with the American Orthodontic Society! 46 May/June 2012 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society May-June 2012: Page 46
