ROGER JOSEPH FIALA

Roger Joseph Fiala, 82, of Tehachapi, CA, and formerly of Moorland, IA, went home to be with the Lord on January 31, 2021, in Tehachapi, CA, after a well-fought battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held February 27, 2021, at 2:30 pm CST at the Historic Bruce Funeral Home, 923 First Avenue South, Fort Dodge Iowa 50501 followed by a graveside service at the Elkhorn Township Cemetery in rural Moorland. Services will be live streamed via our Historic Bruce Funeral Home Facebook page. A celebration of life ceremony will be held March 20, 2021, at 11:00 am PST at Grace Chapel, 44648 15th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534. This event will be livestreamed on You Tube. For link, please email Brenda Smethurst at deanorbrenda@gmail.com. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.brucesfuneralhome.com

Roger was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on August 14, 1938, and was the third son of Joseph Alfred Fiala and Minnie Urban Fiala. He is predeceased by his parents, second wife Brenda Bones Fiala, and older brothers DeWayne LaVern Fiala and Walter Urban Fiala. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Holk Fiala; five children, Louise and her husband Mike Mueller, Mark Fiala and his wife Joan, John Bones and his wife Lisa, Brenda and her husband Dean Smethurst, Marleen and her husband Paul Smethurst; eight grandchildren, Melissa Mueller and fiancee Austin Kemp, Laura and her husband Zach Umfress, Kyle Fiala, Adam Fiala, Johnny Bones, Anna Bones, Amanda Smethurst and Madison Smethurst; and one great-granddaughter, Annalise Rose Umfress. He also leaves behind honorary “adopted” son Joey Ramirez and his wife Claudia and their family, as well as many nieces, nephews and a large extended family.

Roger was a dedicated Los Angeles City Firefighter for 43 years. He worked his way from Firefighter to Fire Captain and he loved his job. He always said he “never regretted becoming a fireman.” He was instrumental in inventing the FlowMix wet water proportioner used in firefighting and held both a European and United States patent. Roger was gifted with a creative mind and loved to tinker around in his shop and make items out of wood and metal. He could fix whatever needed fixing, often making the item better than it was originally. In his retirement, he and his wife Cindy enjoyed traveling, often without any real destination in mind, just traveling the back roads and taking in the scenery or whatever else they came across. He marveled at the blessing of his blended family and delighted in spending time with his grandchildren, teaching them things like how to drive a tractor. Roger was a loving, caring, generous man who was admired and respected by all who met him. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends, yet we rejoice in knowing he is in a better place and we will meet again. Until then, “Bye for now” as Roger would say.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Doctor Tiffany Aline Hogan, Hoffman Hospice and the Los Angeles City firefighters (active and retired) as well as to our family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Roger’s name to the Widows, Orphans, & Disabled Firefighters Fund: P.O. Box 41903, Los Angeles, CA 90041.