Frances Jane Dean Roach

Frances Jane Dean Roach, 86, of Longview, Texas passed away on Friday, April 12, 2013 at a local hospice facility. She was born on July 2, 1926 in Jasper, Texas to John Elbert and Stella Oran McNeill Dean.

Frances graduated from the University of Texas with her teaching certificate and began her teaching career in Jasper, Texas where she also married the love of her life, Carl Milton Roach on July 17, 1948 at the local First Baptist Church. She had a long teaching career and ended it teaching high school math at Union Grove until her retirement in 1987.

When she and Carl, Sr. were both retired, they started going on fishing trips together. She would even ride with him on back of his motorcycle. They enjoyed the trips away so much that they purchased their first pull behind camper so that they could go further and stay longer. That little camper eventually grew into an RV that they were able to travel with their friends, LD and Laura wherever they were able to find a place to park and stay for as long as they wanted, sometimes for six months at a time. This also gave them the freedom to have their grandchildren along with them and spend quality time with them.

They were able to enjoy this until Carl’s getting sick and his passing in July of 1995. Once he had passed, she wanted to make sure that she stayed busy and started getting heavily involved in their church, the Greggton United Methodist Church. She would volunteer for Vacation Bible School, Home Missions, Helping with the Wednesday night GYM service for the youth, she would assist with fund raisers for different church related activities, and even served as the President of the Methodist Women.

Ms. Roach is survived by her son-Carl Milton Roach, Jr. and his wife Peggy of Shreveport, LA; daughter: Carla Jane Stringer and her husband Ron of Longview, TX; grandchildren: Jason Stringer and his wife Dawn of White Oak, Elisa Stringer of Longview, and Joshua Roach and his wife Megan of Shreveport; great grandchildren: Nathan Stringer, Ryan Stringer, and Madison Roach; a number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and brothers-in-law. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her sister-Ruth Gunn.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at the chapel of Lakeview Funeral Home with Rev. Adam Staznicky and Rev. John Whitehurst officiating. Entombment will follow at the Lakeview Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be: James Phillips, Mark Edmund, Neil Joseph, Ron Jurenka, Keith Payne, Frank Skaggs, and Greg Clark. Honorary pallbearers will be The Gleaners Sunday School Class at Greggton United Methodist Church, Doug Howser, Don Abbott, Bernie Tatum and Dave Eubanks. Flowers are permitted or memorials may be made to the United Methodist Women at Greggton United Methodist Church, 1101 Pine Tree Road, Longview, TX 75604. The family would like to say a special thank you to Beacon Hospice and nurses Debbie and Linda. A time of visitation with the family will be held from 6-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at the funeral home.