Roland Wallace Eddy

January 27, 1940 - February 18, 2022

SAN DIEGO — ROLAND WALLACE EDDY

January 27, 1940 – February 18, 2022

Roland Wallace Eddy, 82, passed away peacefully on February 18, 2022, with his wife Katherine and his children Jennifer and Thomas at his side. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, he spent most of the rest of his life with his family and growing his businesses in San Diego, CA. He attended local city schools including John Adams Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Jr. High, Herbert Hoover High School, San Diego City College, and San Diego State University.

At a very young age, Roland exhibited an adventurous spirit and was always eager to explore this city of paradise to its full extent on his Schwinn bicycle and later on foot as he ran through its streets, hills and canyons. In his junior and senior years at Hoover High and later at San Diego State, he lettered in both Track and Cross Country. After leaving SDSU he ventured into a very successful restaurateur career, starting with Jack in the Box and owning successful Burger King franchises. His strong work ethic was instilled into him at a young age by his parents Alma and Wallace. Roland started earning by delivering the San Diego Shopping News in grammar school and later the San Diego Evening Tribune newspaper when he was in junior high. Washing dishes at Rudford’s on El Cajon Blvd. introduced him to the restaurant business. One summer in high school he worked

behind the Sears soda fountain and with his savings he bought his first car, a 1949 Ford for one hundred dollars and the rest is history.

Over the years, Roland’s need for speed manifested itself in running marathons, downhill skiing with his family at Mammoth Mountain and automobile collecting, restoration, and racing. He spent many memorable weekends white water rafting or towing his Ford powered race cars to tracks around California including Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, Button Willow, and the California Speedway. On one occasion he towed his trusty GTD 40 back East to race at Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina. His favorite group to run with was our local Southern California Shelby American Automobile Club, where casual relationships that started with club activities became enduring lifelong friendships.

As a former San Diego State University athlete, he chose to become a long-time University donor, Aztec club member, and committed “Aztec for life” of 50 years. His basketball and football season tickets were prized possessions and he rarely missed a game or an opportunity to talk Aztec sports.

Roland was preceded in death by his mother Alma and father Wallace, his former wives Gertrude and Evelyn, daughter Susan, and grandson Cisco. He is survived by his wife Katherine Samuel Eddy, brother Laurence and children Linda, Dan, Debra, Julie, David, Jennifer, Michael, and Thomas, plus 17 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

In Roland’s memory, a memorial website has been established at www. forevermissed.com/ roland-eddy. Please signin to the guest registry and share your memories, stories and photos with other friends and family members who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your favorite charitable cancer research organization.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 10th at 10:00AM PT at the El Camino Memorial Park – Sorrento Valley. 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121. Please sign the Guest Book online obituaries.sandiegouniontribune.com