H.R. No. 2436
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever cherish their
memories of longtime educator Patsy L. Roach of San Angelo, who
passed away on May 4, 2009, at the age of 80; and
WHEREAS, Born in Sherman to Ross and Marguerite Orenduff on
January 15, 1929, the former Patti Orenduff graduated from McKinney
High School, where she was drum major for three years; she earned a
bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University in 1951 and
subsequently moved to Dexter, New Mexico, for a teaching position;
it was there that she met the love of her life, Hank Roach, and after
a two-week courtship, the couple were married; they shared 58 years
together and raised two children, Dusty and Tudi; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Roach and her husband lived in Amarillo,
Lubbock, and Big Spring before making their home in San Angelo; Mrs.
Roach served for a time on the faculty at Rio Vista Elementary
School, and then planned to give up teaching, but when she answered
a call to fill in at Central High School, she found her passion as a
senior English teacher; for nearly three decades, she inspired and
encouraged students with her fair, no-nonsense approach and her
obvious joy in the subject, and she received the Texas Excellence
Award for Outstanding High School Teachers from the Ex-Students'
Association and the College of Education of The University of Texas
in 1988; and
WHEREAS, Following her retirement in 1990, Mrs. Roach dearly
missed the classroom, and she soon returned to the field as a
substitute; moreover, she was invited to teach a class at Howard
College; through the years, she enjoyed lasting friendships with
many of her former students; and
WHEREAS, Patti Roach sparked a love of learning, writing, and
reading in countless students during her distinguished career at
Central High School and touched many other people's lives along the
way; although she will be deeply missed, she leaves behind a legacy
that will continue to resonate for many years to come; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Patsy L. Roach and
extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her
husband, Henry C. Roach; to her son, Dusty Roach and his wife,
Barbie; to her daughter, Tudi Wilson and her husband, Rick; to her
grandchildren, Sommer Ahrens and her husband, Mike, Amy Wilder and
her husband, Ray, Ross Roach, and Cooper Wilson; to her six
great-grandchildren, Bailey, Coletin, Logan, Emily, Cadence, and
Dylan; and to her other relatives and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Patti
Roach.
Darby
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2436 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 28, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House