F. Roger Bies, Jr., age 91, of 41 Blueberry Hill Ln., Gilford died in Jacksonville, FL of a subdural hemorrhage and right hip fracture on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
Roger was born January 7, 1935 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of the late Frank R. in Eleanor A. (Sweeney) Bies. He had been a year-round resident of Governors Island since 1971.
Roger had grown up in Springfield, NJ and graduated from Regional High School in 1952. His love of New Hampshire began when he worked on the Arlyn dairy farm in W. Plymouth during his high school summers. In 1956, he received a BS degree in agriculture from UNH where he had been a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and played on the UNH hockey team. After graduation from UNH, he was commissioned naval officer upon completion of Officer Candidate School at Newport, RI. He flew for two years with the Navy Hurricane Hunters in radar configured, Super Constellation aircraft, and a year with anti-submarine patrol squadron in P2V Neptune patrol bombers - both from NAS Jacksonville, FL. His next tour of duty for five years was with Naval Air transport squadron. Three flying worldwide transport missions out of Maguire Air Force Base in DC-6 and C-130 aircraft. The last year of military service was spent working for the Air Force Eastern Transport Command Headquarters in the Plans and Programs Department at Maguire Air Force Base, NJ. In 1966, he left the Navy to become a Pan Am pilot where he flew B-707, DC-8, B-747 and L-1011 aircraft out of JFK airport, NY.
In 1956, the Bies family moved from Springfield, New Jersey to Atkinson, New Hampshire. It was from Atkinson that he and his brothers Edward and Gary entered the military services. Their names are engraved in the Atkinson Vietnam Veterans War Memorial.
He is survived by two sons, Frank R “Buzz” Bies, III of Manchester and William J. Bies of Jacksonville, FL; grandsons James Roger Bies and Jacob A. Bies; granddaughters Heather R. Bies and Cézanne C. Bies; brother Gary E. Bies. Predeceased by brother Edward A. Bies.
Burial will be private at Gilford Pine Grove Cemetery at a date to be determined.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services / 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.