Mary Frances Roach

Mary Frances (Mae) Roach passed away peacefully at the age of 101 on August 6, 2025, with her daughters by her side. Mae was loved dearly by her family, and signed every card or remembrance with “Love You”. Mae lived a long wonderful life filled with love, family, and happiness.

She was born on April 27, 1924, in Meigs, Georgia, to Roy and Clarice Young. She spent her happy childhood in Bainbridge, Georgia, alongside brothers, Emmett and Glenn and sister Norene. Mary Frances came to Atlanta in 1945 before the end of WWII to study voice. As a member of the greatest generation, she celebrated VE Day dancing with soldiers in the streets of Atlanta. She began her career as a teller at Citizens and Southern Bank in downtown Atlanta, commuting by trolley. Mae met the love of her life, John David Roach, when he came to her teller window to make weekly deposits as an owner of the Atlanta Royal Crown Cola bottling company (RC Cola). She would later joke that she knew exactly how much money he had before marrying him. They married in 1954 and shared a loving marriage until John’s passing in 1995. Together they raised “four beautiful daughters Joan, Maryon, Pamela and Gail”, creating a home filled with joy, love and fun. When asked at her 101st birthday party how she managed raising four daughters, she replied, “I loved every minute of it”.

Mary Frances was a woman of deep faith with a beautiful soprano voice, and a love of Grand Opera. After moving to Atlanta, she enjoyed serving as a soloist in several churches and was asked to sing at events and many dear friends’ weddings. Mae was a long-time and faithful member of Clairmont Hills Baptist Church (now known as Bridgepoint Church at Toco Hills), where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and enjoyed being a character in the live Christmas drive-thru Nativity. Mae loved people and had a wealth of friends who loved her. She enjoyed chocolate candy, traveling with family, socializing at the beauty parlor, wearing red lipstick, and dinner on Friday nights with girlfriends.

But most of all, Mae cherished her family, and made every holiday and birthday a special occasion. She delighted in the fact that she was particularly “known for her delicious poundcake”. Mary Frances loved preparing southern dinners for her family throughout her life, with her daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren coming almost every Sunday night.

She was deeply loved by her daughters, family and friends. She was happiest when being called “Gran Gran” by her four grandsons and three great granddaughters. She will be dearly and sorely missed.

She is survived by her daughters Joan Frances Roach of Atlanta, Maryon Roach Davis (Robbie) of Atlanta, Pamela Ann Cowart (Charles) of Canton, and Gail Roach Pardue (Joe) of Decatur; grandsons Justin Davis Cowart (Laura), William Charles Cowart (Jamie), David Royce Pardue (Sierra), John Roach Pardue; great granddaughters Frances Catherine Cowart, Virginia Fash Cowart, and Emersyn Lee Cowart.

Mae’s family will celebrate her life and hold a private memorial service in Atlanta. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bridgepoint Church at Toco Hills, 1995 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033(https://bridgepointtoco.com) or Kingsbridge Retirement Community, 3055 Briarcliff Road NE Atlanta, GA 30329 (https://www.kingsbridge.org)