ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210101
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
John B. Roller Jr., 75, died Wednesday after a long fight with brain cancer.
The Pearisburg man was on town council for 36 years, owned and operated Roller Floral Company in Pearisburg for 41 years and White Horse Antiques in Narrows for 27 years. He was a highly decorated World War II veteran.
But Virginia Tech basketball fans will remember him best for his yellow sweater and his ability to wave it with a fury that distracted even the most focused player shooting from the foul line. His spirit earned him the nicknames ``The Matador'' and the ``Yellow Sweater Man.''
The 1942 Tech graduate left a lasting impression in Cassell Coliseum, where he and his wife of 54 years, Fay, attended every home basketball game they could. Fans knew they were there because Roller used his seat behind the basket as a strategic defensive post
One student so closely identified Roller as a symbol of the university's spirit that in 1994 he started a campaign to raise money for cancer research using Roller's trademark. The fund-raiser, named ``The Yellow Sweater Man Campaign,'' sold orange towels for fans to wave at games.
Roller gave the school a new tradition, but he also gave a lot of sick and injured people some of his own life force: Over the years, he donated more than 18 gallons of blood. He was quoted once as saying he liked to think of his donations filling about a third of a 55-gallon drum.
He once said holding an IV bag of blood for a wounded soldier during World War II spurred him to give blood himself.
Roller was wounded twice during the war and was awarded two Purple Hearts. The army also gave him three Silver Stars for gallantry in combat as a member of the Second Armored Division.
Roller is survived by his wife. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary four days from now - on Christmas.
LENGTH: Short : 42 linesby CNB