Sterling, Ill. — Roger R. DeLanghe, 82, of Sterling, died Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Roger De Langhe was born and raised in Tielt, West Flanders, Belgium. At the age of 18, toward the end of World War II, he enlisted in the New Belgian Army and served under General Patton.
Roger and his parents immigrated to the United States in June 1949. They settled in Moline, Ill., where he worked for John Deere Plow Works. He and his parents became U.S citizens and he married Irene Van Thorre on November 18, 1950.
Roger and his family moved to Sterling in 1957, when he went to work for RB&W in Rock Falls. He worked there for nine years after which he worked for Frantz Manufactoring for 25 years, retiring in 1991.
Roger and his uncle, Rene De Langhe, co-founded the Quad City Bicycle Races in 1964 in East Moline. The following year the races moved to 7th Street in Moline and were held there for many years. In recent years the races moved to Rock Island and are considered a Classic and one of the largest races of its kind in the U.S. In 2010 the races will be celebrating 46 years and Roger was a main part of them from the beginning.
Roger has also been an official for over 25 years at the Northbrook Velodrome and has traveled there every Thursday during the summer months. The Roger De Langhe Trophy Race, held every August at the Northbrook Velodrome, “honors the legendary Roger De Langhe, an icon of the Midwest race scene. Since his emigration from Belgium years ago Roger has worked tirelessly to promote bike racing throughout the region, culminating in the addition of the Quad Cities Criterium to the USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar.”
Survivors include his wife, Irene; their children, John (Andrea) DeLanghe, of Perry, Ga., Dennis DeLanghe, of Sterling, Ill., Maria DeLanghe, of Warner Robins, Ga., Ronda DeLanghe, of Dixon, Ill., and Sondra Meyer, of Sterling, Ill.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Family prayer services will be held on Tuesday, November 24, 2009, at 10 a.m. at the McDonald Funeral Home, 1002 12th Avenue, Rock Falls, Ill., followed by the Celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in St. Mary Catholic Church in Sterling with the Reverend Donald Ahles celebrant officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary Cemetery in East Moline, Ill. Visitation is Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rosary being recited at 6:30 p.m. Memorials to Hospice of the Rock River Valley.
