William "Bill" Roath

1934 - 2025

William "Bill" Roath, 90

William Wesley Roath, known as Bill, died on May 29, 2025, of chronic heart and lung problems. He was 90 years old. He is survived by a sister, Elena, six children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

He was born at home in Torrington, Wyoming, near where his great-grandfather had homesteaded, on December 7, 1934. His father, Craig, was superintendent of the Agricultural Research Station. In 1940 the family moved to Cody, Wyoming where his father ran a dairy. In 1946 they moved to Pablo, Montana, when his father got a job as County Extension Agent out of Ronan. In 1949 his father got the job of superintendent of the Ag Research Station at Creston, where Bill spent the rest of his childhood. He graduated from Flathead High School in 1952.

He studied agronomy at Montana State College, from which he graduated in 1957. While there, he married Mary Katherine Phillips of Forsyth, and had a son, William Wesley Jr. He was also in ROTC, and after graduating he entered the Air Force, becoming a bomber pilot. The family moved around the country, serving most of the time at Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho, and had three more children, Pat, Craig, and Michelle, as well as adopting a foster child, Shirley. He served in the Air Force until 1965, when he returned to Montana State, now University, to obtain his Ph.D. in agricultural genetics.

The family lived at the Bozeman Ag Research Station until he graduated in 1968. While there, they hosted several foster children and adopted one, Paul. They then moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where Bill obtained a job with DeKalb Ag Research. He later worked for the Peavey Co. During that time Mary Kay returned to college and became one of the first women ministers for the United Methodist Church. Also during that time, they continued to host foster children, one of whom they adopted, David. They also hosted numerous refugees from Vietnam and Ethiopia.

In 1985, with all children now graduated and gone from home, Bill got a job with the USDA through Iowa State University at Ames. They lived at West Union where Mary Kay was pastor at the Methodist Church. They moved to Boone, Iowa, when Mary Kay became pastor there. Bill was always an avid outdoorsman, and camped, hunted and fished throughout his life.

Bill retired in 1999, and had his contractor son, Craig, build a house on property his father had purchased north of Bigfork, MT. There he and Mary Kay had a very happy retirement, hosting relatives and friends, fishing and volunteering for the Red Cross and Rotarians. William was always very involved in his church, singing in the choirs and volunteering in various capacities, continuing to do so with the Community Methodist Church in Bigfork.

Bill was a beloved husband and father, and he will be greatly missed by his many friends and large extended family.