Roland Dippold

May 14, 1935 - January 8, 2024

Roland Dippold, age 88, of Ames, Iowa died on Monday, January 8, 2024 at his home. There will be a gathering of family and friends at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA from 10 am - 12 noon on Wednesday, January 17, with a memorial service beginning at 12 noon. Burial will follow at University Park Cemetery in Oskaloosa, IA.

Roland was born in Fredersdorf near Berlin, Germany on May 14, 1935. He and his two brothers were raised on their grandparents' farm until they moved to Berlin before the beginning of World War II. Although he lived through the hardships of war as a child, he always shared stories about the wonderful American GIs who helped his family after the end of the war, which inspired his dreams of immigrating to the United States.

He met his future wife Renate, in Herne, Germany in 1954 while Roland was training to become a mining engineer while working as a coal miner. They immigrated to the United States in 1960 along with their eldest daughter, Heidi. Roland worked in the Iowa State University (ISU) Memorial Union cafeteria until becoming a night watchman for ISU and then a campus police officer. He coached and played for an ISU sponsored amateur soccer club in the mid-1960s. He joined the Ames Police force in 1967 where he worked for nearly 30 years. During that time, Roland graduated from Des Moines Area Community College and was promoted to the detective division, specializing in checks and frauds, becoming a hand writing expert. He retired in 1995 and worked as a hand writing consultant for several years. During retirement he enjoyed traveling in his motorhome with his wife and often with his grandson, Denny. Roland loved spending time with his family. He was always a jokester and took pleasure in chatting with people. He was a soccer fanatic.

Survivors include his wife, Renate, and his daughters, Heidi Hogan and Peggy (Tim) Vos. Preceding Roland in death was his grandson, Denny Macdonald, his parents and brothers.