Charles Roland Roe Sr.

The fourth of ten children, Charles was born on July 17, 1937 in Austin, Texas to Edward Sr. and Bessie Roe. Throughout his childhood, he worked with his father in farming and trucking, including helping with cleanup immediately after the Texas City Disaster. He attended school until the 8th grade before becoming a full-time truck driver.

Charles had a lifelong love of anything on wheels - in his youth he rode a motorcycle from Austin to San Diego to build airplanes (and try “pizza pie” for the first time), raced cars down the drag in Austin, owned more vehicles than we can name (although he could name each and every one of them), and made a lifelong career in the trucking industry. His entrepreneurial spirit took shape when he began a trucking company, later founding Roe Brothers Trucking and Charles Roe & Son Trucking. He owned a fleet of trucks and was a large employer in Central Texas. In 2003, he was awarded the Golden Lifetime Achievement award from the American Truck Historical Society.

Although he loved trucks and his work, his greatest source of happiness was his family. He married the love of his life, Mamie, on October 31, 1958. They welcomed their son, Charles Jr. in 1959 and daughter, Mary, in 1963. Those two spirited kids definitely kept him on his toes. His name changed to Pawpaw at the age of 43 when Crystal Lynn arrived, followed by Bridgett and later Jacqueline. He loved his grandgirls and was proud to have two great granddaughters, Marley and Charley. Despite being the epitome of a hard-working masculine man, he was never too good for one of the girls to do his nails, pose for a photo-op with Mickey Mouse or go doll shopping.

Charles was regarded by many as one of the greatest men they’d ever known. He was always willing to extend a helping hand and worked hard to ensure his whole family was cared for. While he may have griped a bit when someone messed up one of his trucks, he never complained about any of the struggles he faced in life and was a consistent and stable pillar for his family. He will be remembered as selfless, wonderful, kind and generous. God really did break the mold when he created him.

Charles is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mamie (Neely) Roe, daughter, Mary Roe, granddaughters, Crystal Weidler, Bridgett Krienke and Jacqueline Johnson (Jeff), great-granddaughters Marley Monroe Johnson and Charley Anne Fuller, siblings Geraldine Winningham, Billie Cox, Frances Witcher, Joan Neely, Judy Johnson, Donald Roe and numerous nieces and nephews (like 100).

One of the greatest heartbreaks of his life was losing his son, Charles Jr., in 2015 and we are all comforted knowing that they are joyfully reunited. Charles is also preceded in death by his son-in-law Carl Scott, siblings James (Jimmy) Roe, Edward (Sonny) Roe, Jr., and David Roe; sibling-in-laws Frances and Willard (Buck) Marx Sr., Ronald (Benny) Cox, Sr., Thomas Neely and Betty Neely Roe, Robert (Bobby) Neely, Al Winningham, Harvey Witcher, Janie Gayheart, Opal Stark, and Ellie Conway.

A visitation for Charles will be held Wednesday, July 23, 2025 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM at Weed-Corley-Fish Leander/Cedar Park, 1200 S. Bagdad Road, Leander, Texas 78641. A graveside service will occur Thursday, July 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Bagdad Cemetery, 400 N Bagdad Road, Leander, Texas 78641.

Pallbearers are Daniel Johns, Harold Montgomery, Keith Krienke, Daniel Fuller and nephews Richard Winningham, Ronnie Cox, James Roe, and Jay Marx.

We would like to share with you two nuggets of wisdom from Charles: “You can hold a tiger by the tail for a minute if you have to,” and, “that gas tank runs just as good on the top half as it does on the bottom half so never let it get below the halfway mark.”