Margaret Wakefield York Roach

Margaret Wakefield York Roach, age 100, died peacefully at her home in Maryville early Tuesday morning, August 10, 2010. Mrs. Roach was born August 1, 1910 in Belews Creek, Forsythe County, North Carolina and raised in Walkertown, North Carolina and Pahokee, Florida. She was the eldest daughter of James Richard York and Loula Virginia Lewis York. Her maternal grandparents were Preston VanBuren Lewis and Elvira Orr Wakefield Lewis. Her paternal grandparents were Andrew Jackson York and Hannah Narcissus Randall York. Margaret graduated from Palm Beach High School in 1926, where she was valedictorian and class poet. Awarded two scholarships - a United Daughters of the Confederacy and a Panhellenic - she attended Florida State College for Women, now Florida State University, in Tallahassee, graduating magna cum laude in 1934 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and minors in French, Music and Education. She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Beta Pi Theta, Le Cercle Francaise, selected as Torchbearer and a student member both junior and senior years of the Interview Committee working with the Dean of Guidance and Counseling. Margaret was also selected as one of two pages from FSU to the state U. D. C. convention in her junior year. She also pursued graduate work in Library Science at George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. Since beginning her profession in the public education system in 1934, she taught English and served as librarian at Pahokee High School in Pahokee, taught Language Arts at Fort Craig from 1953 until 1956, and served as librarian for Maryville Junior High School from 1956 until her retirement in 1970. Initiated into Delta Kappa Gamma in 1942, Margaret was an active member and leader of the teaching society organization for over fifty years. During that period, she attended, lectured and led seminars at state, regional and international conventions. She had also served as president, chairman and other officers at both the chapter and state levels. As a longtime member of Broadway United Methodist Church since 1944, she has served as a member of the Administrative Board, was a charter member and past president of the W. S. C. S. (now U. M. W.). An active member of the community, her memberships include being a charter and life member of the Public Library's ''Friends of the Library,'' a charter and life member of Blount County Historic Trust, a life member of Sam Houston Schoolhouse Association, Chilhowee Club and the Smoky Mountain Garden Club. In recognition of her many years of dedicated service to the community and to library science, the reference wing of the Blount County Public Library is named in her honor. On April 5, 1936 she married Benjamin Browning Roach, with whom she enjoyed thirty years of life until his death in February 1966. She is survived by her three sons, Barrett Browning Roach and his wife Katharine Teale Roach of Glen Ellen, California, John DeWitt C. Roach and his wife Betty Lou Phillips of Dallas, Texas and Benjamin Richard Roach and his wife Cheri Duke Roach of Savannah, Georgia. In addition, she is survived by her grandchildren Molly Margaret Katharine Roach Nordwall of Portland, Oregon, Sarah Jewell Roach and Daniel Browning Roach of Glen Ellen,California, Vanessa Anne Roach of Palo Alto, California, and Alexandra Elizabeth Roach of Davis, California. Her family would like to thank Moe Click and Anne Boucher of Extended Family Services for their kindness, understanding, assistance and service. A private, family-only graveside service will be held at Sherwood Memorial Gardens. Remembrances may be made to Blount County Public Library. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home in charge 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com