Richard "Dick" Roach

Richard "Dick" Roach, 78, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, passed away Monday, April 07, 2014, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Visitation will be held from 12 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2014, at Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel where the family will receive friends from 5 - 7 p.m. that evening. A Masonic service will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 11th at First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main, with Pastor Deborah Stowers officiating. Interment will be at Forest Home Cemetery with Military Rites by the Henry County Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church or the American Diabetes Association. Born September 3, 1935 in Cantril, IA, Richard Lee was the son of Donald David and Isabelle (Smith) Roach. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1953. On January 21, 1956 he married Janis Kay Mallams at the Beulah Church. For 40 years Dick served as a company commander and administrative officer with the 224th Engineer Battalion in the Iowa Army National Guard. He retired as a Major from this position in 1995. Dick had also worked for six years as a mechanic at Sheets Ford Motor Company in Mt. Pleasant. For 10 years he worked at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant as a supervisor. From 1980-1991 Dick was a member of the Henry County Sherriff's Posse. While his family was young, Dick helped coach Little League Baseball and was a Scout Master for Boy Scouts. Active in the community, he was a member of the Volunteer Fire Department and served in the Henry County Honor Guard. He was a 50 year Mason, and he belonged to AMVETS and VFW. He belonged to First United Methodist Church where he served as a shepherd and was a member of the choir. In his free time, Dick enjoyed hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting, gardening and yard work. He especially enjoyed spending time on the family farm and on the Skunk River. For the past 13 years, Dick and his wife, Jan, would winter in Florida. They loved visiting and spending time with their children and grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, Jan, of Mt. Pleasant, IA; three sons, Don (Jana) Roach of Libertyville, IA, Ryan (Amy) Roach of Denver, IA, and Curt (Heidi) Roach of Freeport, FL; a daughter, Angela Sotelo of Washington, IA; eleven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one brother, Michael (Patti) Roach of Ft. Madison, IA; a sister, Pauline (Tony) Noll of Burlington, IA; and four step-brothers, Richard, Jim, Tony, and David Kellems. Preceding Dick in death are his parents.