Roger Gore

Roger D. Gore was a young California Highway Patrol officer whose life reflected steady commitment to public service and close ties to family and community. Raised in the Merced County area, he spent time fishing and hunting near Snelling with his father, memories his family treasured. By his early twenties he had joined the CHP, choosing a path defined by protecting others and serving the public.

Colleagues and community accounts remember Roger as one of a generation of rookie officers who approached law enforcement with professionalism and a readiness to learn. He wore his uniform with responsibility and was part of a close-knit patrol community whose bonds extended to the families of its members. Those who knew him recall a young man shaped by his rural upbringing and family traditions — someone who valued time outdoors and family connections.

Roger’s death in April 1970 cut short a life of service and the future he had ahead. The California Highway Patrol and local communities have continued to honor his memory over the decades, including memorials recognizing the sacrifice of the young officers who served alongside him. For his family and those who served with him, Roger’s name remains a reminder of the human cost behind public safety and of the ordinary attachments — family outings, hometown roots, and quiet devotion — that made him more than his badge.

While public records emphasize his role as an officer and the circumstances of his death, the enduring memory of Roger D. Gore in Merced County and among CHP colleagues is of a young man whose life mattered to family and community. He is remembered with respect and gratitude by those who knew him and by the institutions that continue to honor his service.