James Roach

Rev. James William "J.W." Roach
August 7, 1920 - January 27, 2010


Rev. James William "J.W." Roach, 89, of Chalk Bluff, passed away Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at Providence Health Center.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the First Baptist Church of Waco with Dr. Gary Hearon, Rev. Worth Hewitt, and Dr. Randall Perry officiating. Rev. David Bolin will be music director for the service. Burial will follow at Moore Cemetery in Chalk Bluff.

Visitation with the family will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, January 29, at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd.

JW received his Bachelors of Science from Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, Texas and did his graduate work at Baylor University. He spent 50 years as an educator and pastor of several churches across the state of Texas, including Texline, Pride, Wells, Splendora, Cleveland, Security, Gholson, Gateway, and Willow Grove.

Especially fulfilling to J.W. were the two years he and only five other educators operated the University of Texas pilot program for the education of severely emotionally disturbed students through the Waco Independent School District. He brought an end to his secular career serving 15 years with the Texas Employment Commission.

In his first pastorate (Texline), he met and married his wife Joan Parks Roach on September 5, 1943. They ministered together for over 66 years.

In his spare time, he enjoyed participating in shortwave radio, carrying the call-sign W5AYX. He was a founding member and past president of the Heart of Texas Amateur Radio Club.

He enjoyed countless hours participating in passing "traffic messages" around the world for people to their loved ones. He received numerous awards for this service from the American Radio Relay League, the US national organization of Amateur Radio operators. Prior to moving to Waco in the mid-50's, he was active in Kiwanis International.

J.W. has been a dynamic member of the First Baptist Church of Waco for the past 20 years since his retirement from the full-time ministry.

He and Joan were selected Senior Adults of the Year in 2004, and J.W. has faithfully taught Sunday School in the Louis-Edwards class for the last 10 years. His greatest joy has been watching and participating in the lives of his three grandsons, and baptizing them upon their professions of faith.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brothers Elmer, Frank, Finis, and sister Gertrude.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; son, Marvin and wife, JoEllen Roach; grandsons, Thomas, Matthew, and Nathan Roach, all of Waco, dear in-laws, Herbert and LaDelle Stobbe of Leroy, and nieces, Billie Glover and husband Carl of Mesquite, Nev., Carolyn Thomas and husband George of Georgetown, Texas, Denise Haynes (Pampa, Texas), , Debra Githens (Hinton, Oklahoma), and numerous cousins.

Pallbearers will be Dale Connally, Kent McKern, Bob Herndon, Lynn Parks, Ralph Lee, and Andy Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be Herbert Stobbe, Hilton Havis, Glen Hall, and E.K. McClain.

Special thanks to Drs. William "Billy" Pitts Jr., Charles "Dutch" Schultz, III, and their nurse Andrea for their caring and compassionate care these many years.

Thanks to First Baptist Church Sunday School classes A3 and A6 for their love and support.
Thanks also to the "Angels" of the CHF clinic, giving over and above. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Friends for Life, and First Baptist Preschool Development Center.