Mary Roach

Mary Louise Turrentine Roach, 89 years of age, passed peacefully from this life on Dec. 30th at her home in Odessa, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband Luther Eugene Roach. She is survived by her brothers, George Turrentine of Hereford, Texas, and Daniel Turrentine of Pacific Grove, California. She is also survived by her children, William Wallace Roach and his wife Sharon of Midland, Texas; and Martha Roach Kunkel, of Odessa, Texas. Her grandchildren, Nancy Thompson of Boise, Idaho; Alisha Farrington of Bedford, Texas; Stuart Kunkel, of Odessa, Texas; and Matt Roach of Irving, Texas, and one great-grandchild, Ella Thompson of Boise, Idaho, will also miss her greatly.

Mary was born on October 24, 1919, on a homestead farm to Dr. Daniel Turrentine, a USC-educated dentist who chose to practice his profession in the Texas panhandle that he loved, and Bess Ridgeway Turrentine, his wife. Dr. Turrentine was a well-respected person in his community but he died unexpectedly when Mary was just 8 years old. Occuring as they did at the same time, the combined effects of her father's early passing and the devastating effects of both the Dustbowl and the Great Depression sorely tested the little family's ability to survive.

Mary helped farm the family homestead, and helped to raise her two younger brothers Daniel and George. Eventually, all three attended college and the two boys served their country honorably in W. W. II.

Excelling in high school, Mary received a full scholarship to attend college. She completed her teaching degree at Mary Hardin Baylor University in Belton, Texas, where she graduated with honors, receiving a degree in English Literature with a minor in Spanish. She obtained her Texas teaching credentials and began her career in Paint Rock, Texas. After a year, she was offered a position in Caprock, New Mexico, which was closer to her family's homestead, and so she began teaching there. While disciplining two unruly twins named Lewis and Lowell who were misbehaving in her class, Mary was introduced to their older brother Luther, who had to come into town from the ranch to try to settle matters at school for his younger brothers. Meeting the handsome young rancher was a life-changing event, and they married in 1944 at Mary's family home in Deaf Smith County near Hereford.

They had two children and ranched in southeastern New Mexico for a number of years until a severe drought in the 1950's motivated them to make a move to the city. After moving to El Paso, Mary resumed her teaching career and was honored as Ysleta ISD Teacher of the Year in 1963. She also completed her Master's degree in American Literature at Texas Western University, now known as UT El Paso. She had as her advisor the distinguished southwest historian and literature professor Dr. C. L. Sonnichsen.

Moving to Odessa in 1965, Mary obtained a position with Odessa College, teaching literature. She enjoyed her work there with a passion, and acted as campus sponsor for the Shakespeare Club. She retired from active teaching in 1986. She was a lifelong avid reader and once began to compile a list of the books she had finished reading, but stopped when it passed 4,000 titles in the mid-1990's. She passed on her love of the written word to many students, friends, and relatives.
PMary Louise Turrentine Roach's life and accomplishments are startling: she was a capable livestock handler and farmer whose husband accidentally vaccinated her for blackleg, a skilled horse- and mule-team driver, a capable cook with a light touch for scratch biscuits, a couturier-level tailor and seamstress, a Ground Observer Corps military plane spotter during her W.W. II years on the remote ranch, a talented wr

Visitation

Sunset Memorial Funeral Home
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Friday, January 2, 2009
68 PM

Service

Funeral Service

First Baptist Church
709 N. Lee
Odessa, TX  79762
Saturday, January 3, 2009
11:00 AM

Cemetery

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762

Memorial Contributions

Home Hospice
516 N. Texas
Odessa, TX  79761

Deaf Smith County Historical Museum
P.O.Box 1007
Herford, TX  79045