Barbara Ann Roach

Barbara Ann Roach, 73, of Jonesboro passed from this life on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House.

Barbara was born May 29, 1940 to the late Richard and Beatrice Tarter Caldwell. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Caldwell, and a sister in law, Laverne Caldwell. She was a graduate of Carlisle High School, and during her high school career was a member of marching band and played basketball with a team that went to state playoffs.

She married her husband, Dean Roach on January 29, 1965. They lived in Carlisle for the first five years of their marriage before moving to West Memphis. In 1971, they moved to Jonesboro.

Throughout her working years she was first employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Little Rock, Arkansas and then for the 1980 US Census. In 1980, she began working for the Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service/US Department of Agriculture as an enumerator contacting farmers and gathering statistical information for crop reports. In 1990, Barbara became supervisor and worked on a cotton research project.

She was a former Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts of America with Jane Turney, and later served on the NE Arkansas Girl Scout Board where she was director in the early 1980’s. She loved to watch sports especially basketball, garden and share the vegetables. She was an avid duck hunter and a member of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Dean Roach of the home; one daughter, Pam Roach and her husband Bill Gillespie of Powder Springs, GA; one son, Mark Roach and his wife Stacey; two grandchildren, Abby and Dawson Roach all of Naylor, MO; one brother, Phil Caldwell and his wife Carolyn of Greenbrier, AR; and a host of other family and friends.

Visitation will Monday evening from 5-7pm at Emerson Funeral Home.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday morning at 10am in the Emerson Memorial Chapel with Rev. Edward Pruett officiating. Burial will be private with Emerson Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.
Honored to serve as pallbearers are Brent Panneck, Derrick Elrod, John Stevens, Robert Chappell, Ray Wood, and Ernie Guiltner. Honorary pallbearers are Robert Montgomery, Butch Farmer, Gary Vanderbilt, Mike Oakley, Mike Noles, members of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church, and American Legion Post 21.

The family requests consideration for lasting memorials to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 11324 Arcade Drive Suite 16 Little Rock, AR 72212, in loving memory of Barbara Ann Roach.