Our Family

Get Acquainted With the Warren and Amy Jo Roland Family

Co-owner Warren B. Roland, son of Roland Funeral Home's original owner Burdette L. Roland, graduated from the University of Minnesota with an associate degree in Mortuary Science in 1966. Warren and hometown beautician, Amy Jo Paul, a graduate of Americana Beauty College in Des Moines, IA, were wed at The Little Brown Church in Nashua , Iowa in 1971.  

Warren and Amy have been blessed with six children.  As lobbyists, the Roland family took an active part in pioneering the revival of home education in Iowa.  In co-operation with Iowa laws and monitoring by the Atlantic public school system, they homeschooled their family from the time the eldest was eleven years old.  Their dream come true was obtaining the legal rights to school their family according to each one's  individual interests and having the advantage of taking part in public school classes and activities as desired.  While they had what they determined to be "the best of both worlds,” the Rolands maintained their friendship and support of the Atlantic Public Schools. 

In recent years, since their children have graduated, gone on to college and vocations and married, Amy Jo has taken an active part assisting with the funeral home secretarial work and management. Her heart for grief support, helping clients with memory keepsake items, cemetery monuments and holding remembrance programs has added new dimensions to the family funeral service.

  The Roland Children

   In addition to a career in teaching piano and vocal music, the eldest Roland daughter Heidi Hinman, along with her husband Larry, is enjoying the activities of rearing a family of four children.  Larry is Director of Operations for a group of nursing home facilities in Iowa.  They are ambitious participants in the Evangelical Free Missionary and Sunday School departments.

The Rolands' eldest son James has served as a professor at the Pan African School of Theology in Nyahururu , Kenya , Africa for three years. His wife, Heidi Sarah (Dahl), whom Jim met at L’Abri, a Christian Study Center in Rochester , MN , has made strides teaching women and exemplifying gardening and domestic work in their village in Kenya . Their  four children have been blessed by interacting with the native people of their village. Their experiences were enriched by attending a Kenyan school along with being home educated part time in Africa .  Jim has recently received a pastoral position with Evangelical Free Church in Storm Lake, IA.  Jim will annually visit Kenya to keep up on projects there.

Rolands' second son Burdette L. Jr. is currently studying at Covenant Theological Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri. B.J.'s wife Jessica, is a medical technician (now an at-home mom) and was previously employed at Rochester’s Mayo Clinic laboratory.  B.J. and Jessica became acquainted at the Rochester, Minnesota L’Abri.  They have found their lives to be action packed with the addition of their sweet little son.

Second daughter Buffy Jo Barrs met her husband Ian in Liss, England where she was working as a volunteer for the British L’Abri Study Center. Ian presently works for the family funeral business in Atlantic. He serves as a vibrant employee in the photo and video editing and printing position and maintenance work.  He is a student of history and a gifted speaker.  Buffy is presently a homemaker, and in addition lends a hand with our funeral home's grief support and art and computer projects. The couple is enjoying their perky little daughter. 

Youngest son Spencer, attended Iowa Western Community College, gained an Associates Degree in Building Trades.  He now works as a self-employed carpenter in Atlantic and the surrounding areas.  His wife Annie (Seehusen) was a hometown girlfriend who, following  schooling at Grace University in Omaha, has been involved in music and is currently employed as secretary for Rick’s Auto Body here in Atlantic.

The  youngest Roland, daughter Jo Beth, a recent graduate of Iowa State University, has enjoyed teaching elementary and junior high school English in Korea for two summers.  Jo Beth was wed to an fellow ISU classmate, John Lee of Des Moines, Iowa.  The couple is residing in Lianyungang (south of Beijing) where John is currently studying Chinese and Jo Beth is teaching English.  The couple have given of themselves in assisting the family funeral home with the website historical obituaries project.  See the links to over 12,000 obituaries on our Home Page.