Dean Roach

Dean was born March 28, 1938 to the late Felix and Geneva Roach.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Roach.  Dean was a graduate of Valley View High School and a member of their state championship basketball team in 1956, and in 1957 when the team was state runners-up.  He also graduated from Arkansas State University where he ran track one year and was a lifelong supporter of both the Blazers and ASU.

Dean married his wife, Barbara 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.  Dean and Barbara shared a love of watching sports, especially basketball.  They also enjoyed fishing, duck hunting, vegetable gardening, and were members of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church.

During his working years, Dean was a salesman, county sanitarian, and field inspector for the air division of Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology where he retired in the early 2000’s.  He also retired from the Army National Guard 875 ^th Battalion as a Master Sergeant.  After retirement, he baled hay for his horses, hunted, kept bees, and loved watching Cardinals baseball.  He served as Commander from 2015-2016 of the Pickett Post 21 American Legion and participated in many events including the annual Veteran’s Day parades.

Dean is survived by 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; two brothers, Doyle Roach of Fayetteville, AR; and Don Roach of Mountain Home as well as his brother-in-law, Phil Caldwell and his wife Carolyn of Greenbrier, AR; and a host of other family and friends.

Public visitation will be Sunday June 12 from 12:30pm until service time at Emerson Funeral Home.

Funeral Services will be Sunday June 12 at 2pm in the Emerson Memorial Chapel with Rev. Edward Pruett officiating and Wayne Clark as honorary officiant. Interment of ashes will be later, with Emerson Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.

Honorary pallbearers are Robert Chappell, Derrick Elrod, Butch Farmer, Robert Montgomery, Mike Oakley, Brent Panneck, John Stevens, and Gary Vanderbilt as well as members of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church and American Legion Post 21 aka the Wednesday breakfast gang.  Ray Wood and Ernie Guiltner are with him in spirit.

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 Dean Roach.