Mrs. T. L. Roach (Rosemary), 86, died December 27, 2013, in Amarillo.
Services were held December 31, in Polk Street United Methodist Church with Dr. Burt Palmer officiating. Entombment will be in Llano Cemetery Mausoleum. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia.
Rosemary was born September 11, 1927, in Amarillo to Harvey and Olga Carter Allen. She graduated from Amarillo High School in 1945. She also graduated from Christian College, Columbia, Missouri in 1947, and from Texas University in Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in 1949. While at UT, she joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, was runner-up in the Sweetheart of University Contest, and runner-up finalist in Blue Bonnet Belle and was Aqua Carnival Queen.
In 1950, she married T. L. Roach, Jr. Her current and past business operations include Roach Oil Co. & Ashtola Exploration Co., Senior Partner, T. L. Roach and Son, Allen Creek Ranch, and owner of TxAire Charter Service.
Rosemary loved the Amarillo community and was very involved in community activities. She served on the Board of Directors of Amarillo Symphony Inc. from 1981-1987. While on the Board, she served on the following committees: Nominating, Program Advertising, By-laws, and the Investments committee.
She also served on the board of Amarillo Symphony Guild from 1970-73; Amarillo Art Alliance Board of Directors, 1995; and on the Amarillo Opera Board of Directors, While serving on The Amarillo Opera board, she was a member of the Advisory board 1995-1998, sponsored many productions, and was nominated by Amarillo Opera as one of the Philanthropists of the Year.
In 1951, she became a member of the Junior League of Amarillo and served on the Advisory Planning Committee, was corresponding secretary of the Executive Committee, served on the Admissions Committee and on the Nominating Committee three years, YWCO Public Relations Committee Chairman, and was a sustaining Advisor to Advisory Planning.
Rosemary also served on the Cal Farley Boy’s Ranch/Girlstown USA Board of Directors. She was one of the first two women to serve on the Board of Directors after Boy’s Ranch merged with Girlstown. While on the board, she served as secretary of Executive Committee and Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee. She also co-chaired the Strategic Planning committee of Boy’s Ranch and Girlstown and was an avid and proud fan of the yearly Boy’s Ranch Rodeo.
From 1993-2001, Rosemary served on The Sam Houston Society, Friends of the Governor’s Mansion, Board of Trustees 1993-2001 and as Vice President 1997-1999. She also served on the YWCO Board of Directors 1978-1982.
Polk Street United Methodist Church was a large part of Rosemary’s life. She was a member since 1950 and served on the Board of Trustees 1991-1994. She was recognized at the Charge Conference in 1994 for the renovation of Social Hall, a gift in memory of her husband, T.L. Road, Jr. She also served on the Finance Committee, was a charter member of the Altar Guild, served on Adult Ministries and on the Committee for “Wednesday Night Worship Service.” She was a member of Susanna Wesley Class, United Methodist Women’s Board, and Church Circle Chairman. She was also on the Board of Directors of Wesley Community Center.
Other community and statewide involvements include serving on the West Texas A&M University Foundation. She was a member of Hall of Fame 1993. Mrs. T. L. Roach, Jr. and family gave a Presidential Honors Scholarship in memory of T.L. Roach, Jr. in 1992. She was a member of President’s Circle of Friends, received a WTA&M Gold Medallion award by Circle of Friends, and was on the Inaugural Committee for WTA&M President Max Sherman in 1977.
Rosemary served on the Steering Committee to re-elect Teel Bivins for Texas Senate and to elect Rick Perry for Texas Agriculture Commissioner.
She was a charter and lifetime member of Amarillo Botanical Gardens as well as the Lone Star Ballet Board and was a Lone Star Ballet production sponsor. She was a member and past president of Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnai and received her 50-year service pin in 2013. She served on the Eldon Durrett Scholarship Committee 1979-1987 and was appointed Chairman in 1980 by the Amarillo School Board.
Rosemary was active in the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association (“TSCRA”) and was a member since 1950. She was elected as Honorary Vice President. Rosemary adored attending the TSCRA conventions twice a year where she would reunite with her lifelong friends. She was a financial supporter of the TSCRA Museum in Fort Worth.
In 1990, Rosemary accepted the Research Chair, in memory of T. L. Roach, Jr., of the Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Center, which was given by Mrs. Sybil Harrington.
Awards received from Polk Street United Methodist Church include the Special Christian Service Award and Special Mission Recognition of Polk Street United Methodist Women in 1986. She also received the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding Achievement in the Community from The Amarillo Area Women’s Forum. She was awarded the Golden Nail Award for service in the arts.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Olga, she was an avid gardener. She also loved fly fishing in Colorado and Montana, and playing bridge and gin rummy with her dear friend, Jay Taylor. Rosemary was passionate about supporting the arts in the Amarillo area, museums, higher education, and historical preservation. She traveled worldwide, but found her most treasured and beloved destinations to be Allen Creek Ranch, spending Thanksgiving at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs and the 4UR fishing resort in Creede, Colorado. She was an avid supporter of politics, loved entertaining, and most of all, she enjoyed her children and her seven grandchildren, who loved her dearly.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elizabeth Allen Chesshir in 1974; her husband, T.L. Roach, Jr. in 1988; and a grandson, Jack Roach.
Survivors include two daughters, Susan Roach and Sheri Brosier and husband Scott, all of Amarillo; one son Tom L. Roach III and wife Annie of Montana; six grandchildren, Travis Higgins, Benjamin Brosier, Brennan Brosier, Channing Brosier, Katie Roach, and McCullough Roach, and two nieces, Rosemary Orr of Amarillo and Leanne Siewerr of Costa Rica.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorials be to T.L. Roach Presidential Honors Scholarship, WTAMU, Box 60766, Canyon, TX 79016.
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