Roger Neil Waud

Roger Neil Waud, 86, of Alexandria, VA, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in the comfort of his home. Born in 1938 in Detroit, Michigan, he was the son of the late Mary J. Waud and Othneil S. Waud.

Roger was the devoted husband of Katie Barta, with whom he shared 24 years of marriage. He was a loving father, grandfather, economist, academic, philosopher, poet, and a stickler for physical fitness with a serious sweet tooth.

Roger graduated in 1956 from Cranbrook School, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Harvard College, where he was a member of Eliot House, with an A.B. magna cum laude, majoring in economics, in 1960; and the University of California, Berkeley with both an M.A. in economics in 1962 and, in 1965, a PhD in economics. He dedicated his life to education and always found fulfillment in teaching and mentoring students. Roger maintained for his lifetime the many friendships made during his academic studies. Roger had an illustrious career as an economist, researcher and professor with numerous publications. Most of his career (twenty-eight years) was spent at the University of North Carolina as professor of economics. He also served on the faculty at the University of Chicago, as a visiting professor at Duke University, as a visiting scholar at Cambridge University, as a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Board, as a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and as Director of the Graduate Economics Program at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Campus. In addition to his long and tenured career, Roger authored two economics textbooks that included 5 editions.

Roger expanded his writing talents to writing poetry as he neared retirement, leaving behind a legacy of over 360 written works that he enjoyed sharing with family and friends. In retirement, he was very active and held leadership roles in both a local civic association in North Old Town, Alexandria, and Marina Towers Condominiums where he lived with Katie. He was committed to his rigorous workout routine, spending quality time with his children and grandchildren, adventure vacations and reading the Wall Street Journal every day. He had a deep appreciation for music, a witty sense of humor and a love of life.

Roger is survived by his wife, Katie Barta; his sister, Jennifer Kayser, and her husband, Jim Kayser; his children by his first wife Myra Zollinger: daughter, Heather Dorf, and her husband, Howard Dorf, along with their three children, Caroline, Lauren, and David; son, Neil Waud, and his wife, Kim Zielinski, along with their three children, Keanan, Logan, and Barrett; his stepson, Dan Tresnak, and his wife, Kathy Tresnak; his stepson, Corey Tresnak, and his wife, Diane Yehle and his cat, Max P. Kitty Cat.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider donating in Roger’s name to their favorite charity or to Goodwin House Hospice:
https://goodwinliving.org/giving/.

Click this link to view additional details about Roger's Services:
https://my.gather.app/remember/roger-waud