Roger Shaller – Class of 1971
As the youngest of four children (all graduates of Chenango Valley), Roger Shaller attended CV from kindergarten through twelfth grade. His elementary years were spent at Port Dickinson School. He remembers all his teachers there but was especially fond of his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Haley, who got him started; his second-grade teacher, Mrs. Moore, who emphasized the importance of reading; and Mrs. VanGorder, who taught him discipline and order.
Upon graduating from the sixth grade, Shaller attended Chenango Valley Junior High School where he met many new friends. Many of these friends would have children who became friends of his two daughters through high school at CV. From age 12 until age 17, he worked as a paper carrier delivering the Evening and Sunday Press. This cut into his involvement in after-school activities but helped him develop a strong work ethic. He became a lover of history, much of this being brought out by his favorite teachers, Mr. Marble and Mr. Banks. Because of the impression they both laid upon him, he even toyed with the thought of becoming a history teacher!
Following high school graduation, Shaller attended Broome Community College majoring in Liberal Arts. While at Broome, he followed in his brothers’ footsteps and became a volunteer firefighter with the Port Dickinson Fire Department. This led to a part-time job with the Village Police Department answering phone calls, dispatching police officers, and driving fire apparatus to alarms. He then decided that law enforcement was his calling and switched his major to Police Science. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree at Elmira College.
While attending Elmira College, Shaller took several law enforcement civil service exams. One of these exams resulted in his being called for an interview with the City of Binghamton Police Department in 1974; this was the start of his career in law enforcement that spanned 34 years. Starting out as a patrolman, he worked his way up through the ranks to sergeant and was promoted to captain in 1990. Assignments ran the gamut – patrol, records and crime prevention, sergeant, captain of patrol and detectives, as well as internal affairs.
After a few years living in Binghamton, Shaller moved back to his hometown of Port Dickinson with his wife Mary and two daughters, Danielle and Jessica. Both daughters have since graduated from Chenango Valley High School, attended college, and become teachers. Danielle Mahakian, a special education teacher, works in the Binghamton City School District, and Jessica Williams teaches at Port Dickinson Elementary in the Chenango Valley School District. Shaller owes much to his wife and daughters who supported him through a satisfying but sometimes difficult career in law enforcement.
In 2008, upon retiring at the relatively young age of 55, Shaller reactivated his status with the Port Dickinson Fire Department and is presently serving as Fire Company President. He is a member of the Broome County Wildlands Search & Rescue Team as well as the Broome County Animal Rescue Team. His love of history has resulted in his appointment as Port Dickinson Village Historian alongside his lifelong friend, 1965 CV graduate Bob Blakeslee. He also serves on the Village Zoning Board of Appeals. His hobbies include fishing, gardening, visiting Civil War battlefields, and studying genealogy. Results of his genealogy research have solidified his membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. He has shared his love of volunteerism with his daughters as they have helped him with rescue dog transports, walking dogs at the Broome County Humane Society, and working at the Special Olympics.
Shaller is honored to be recognized by the Chenango Valley Alumni Association. He is grateful for the community he was raised in, all he learned through his experiences, and the opportunity to give back.