Betty Roach

Rock Rapids, Iowa 

A Mass of Christian Burial for Betty Roach, age 97 of Rock Rapids, Iowa who died on Friday morning, March 10, 2023, at the Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at the Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids with the Fr. Sunny Dominic, Celebrant. Burial will be in the Holy Name Catholic Cemetery, Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Visitation will be from 5-8 PM Friday evening, March 17, 2023 at the Jurrens Funeral Home in Rock Rapids.  A prayer service will take place at 7 PM.

Betty Louise (Rath) Roach was born September 25, 1925 at Rock Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Albert and Minnie (Rohlff) Rath.  She attended country school and in 1944 graduated from Wilson High School in Rock Rapids.  After graduation she worked for AT&T as a telephone operator.  She played basketball for the Bloomer Girls. 

On November 14, 1950, Betty was united in marriage to Nicholas D. Roach at the Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids and celebrated their 50^th wedding Anniversary on November 14, 2000.  She was member of the Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids and a member of St. Catherine’s Society and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.  Community activities include her involvement with the Boys and Girls Scout Troops, Lyon County 4-H, Life-time member in the VFW Post No. 6960, American Legion Post No 103, Life-time member of Lyon County Historical Society and Red Hat Society.  Betty was a devoted Central Lyon Lions fan which started by watching her children participate in sports and other activities which continued through this year cheering the Central Lyon Lions teams as they participated in the 2023 Iowa High School Championships.  Iowa State University was near and dear to her heart since all 5 of her children graduated from ISU.  Betty’s other hobbies included sewing, cooking, knitting, tracing her family genealogy and was an avid reader.  Her family also remembers the many cards she sent to them and other people over the years.  She also enjoyed solving Sudoku puzzles while drinking Dr. Pepper. 

 Surviving Betty are four of her five children and their spouses Sally (Daniel) Hartley of Salix, IA, Matthew (Debra) Roach of Aurora, CO, Joseph (Jennifer) Roach of Edina, MN, Teresa Roach of Yorba Linda, CA and surviving spouse of son Tom, Teri (Dave) McGill.  Nine grandchildren; Nicholas Hartley, Benjamin (Dr. Samantha) Roach, Patrick (Vanessa) Hartley, Dr. Lauren Roach, Tyler (Brooke) Roach, Kelly (Kent) Bultemeier, Tara Roach, William Roach, and Trevor (Stephanie) Roach along with ten great-grandchildren; Harris Roach, Parker Roach, Paxton Hartley, Nash Roach, Madeline Roach, McKenna Hartley, Ainsley Roach, Callan Bultemeier, Logan Roach, Carter Bultemeier and a new one due in July 2023.  She is also survived by a brother-and-sister-in-law, Dr. Kenneth and Louise Roach of Sioux City, IA and several cousins, nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by: her husband Nicholas Roach, son Thomas Roach, her parents, sisters and spouses; Neola (Max) Strawhacker, Dorothy (Barney) Snyder and Edna Mae (Murnis) Wyland; and brothers, Wilbert and Marlin (Helen) Rath and Brother-and sister-in-law; Mae Hartman, Mary Ellen (Marvin) Sinclair and Barbara Ann (John) Vogel.

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