Forrest Calvin Roan Jr.

Forrest Calvin Roan, Jr., passed away on November 28, 2015, at the age of 70. Forrest was born on December 18, 1944, as the youngest son of Lucille A. E. McKinney Roan and Forrest Calvin Roan, Sr. He was predeceased by his parents, a sister, Mary Naomi Roan Martin, and by his nephew, David Roan Martin, Sr. Forrest is survived by his two daughters, Amy Katherine Roan Boykin and husband Michael, and Jennifer Louise Roan Forgey, husband Justin. He is also survived by, and was especially proud of, his six grandchildren, Luke, Marley, Josie, and James Boykin, and Gunnar and Lilian Roan Forgey. Forrest was born in Waco, Texas, but moved to Austin at the age of 3, attending Pease Elementary and graduating from Austin High in 1962. He attended the University of Texas, receiving his BBA (Finance) and JD (Law) and subsequently became a diplomate in International Comparative Law through a program jointly sponsored by St. Mary's School of Law and the Universidad de Monterrey. His love of Mexico later led him to be a director of the Amundsen Institute, which sponsored the annual Texas-Mexico Symposium on Leadership. As a young man, Forrest's dad made sure he worked – a lot! - but he also got to spend time working with horses, both riding on the competitive horse show circuit and teaching others dressage and gaited riding. He always said his work on the family ranch was the great incentive for him to go to school and have an "inside" job. Forrest was a voracious reader, an amateur genealogist, an inveterate traveler, and a dedicated member of the Blue Duck Poker Group for over 30 years. The Blue Ducks were his really good friends who supported him throughout his lung transplant process. He was active in many organizations in his high school and college years. Some of the highlights: Forrest was elected a local and state officer of DeMolay, served as a local and conference officer of MYF, helped build a float for the first water parade held by the Austin AquaFest, participated in organizing and leading the first Attorney General's Youth Leadership Conference, was Editor of his high school annual (Comet), belonged to the Delta Upsilon and Delta Theta Phi Fraternities, was on the Board of Directors of the University Coop, sang in the UT A Capella Choir, served as a justice on the UT Student Court, and got more than a little involved in campus politics. Upon returning from active duty in the Army, Forrest initially worked in the real estate business, but soon diverted to politics, where he worked for Governor John Connally, Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Attorney General Crawford Martin and Senator John Tower. He loved the electoral process and the give and take of politics, but ultimately decided that it was not conducive to raising a family. So Forrest went to law school in 1973, working his way through school by working at the Legislature during the 1973 – 1975 legislative sessions, including the 1974 Constitutional Convention. Upon completing law school, Forrest first joined Heath, Davis & McCalla and then formed the firm, Roan & Gullahorn, which subsequently became Roan, Simpson & Autrey and finally Roan & Autrey. He ended his full-time legal work as an equity shareholder with the Winstead firm, before continuing a limited practice in his own RoanLaw firm. Forrest was admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court, and numerous other federal district and appellate courts, including the US Court of International Trade. He was honored by being named to "Best Lawyers in America," the "Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers," "Who's Who in American Law," Corporate Counsel's "Top Attorneys," and "Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys." He was a Life Fellow of the American, Texas and Austin Bar Foundations, a director of the Public Law Section of the Texas Bar and Vice Chair of the Public Regulation of Insurance Committee of the American Bar. He was a member of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel, the Association of Life Insurance Counsel, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, and Texas Association of Bank Counsel. He was also cited by "Who's Who in America" and "Who's Who in Finance & Industry." Forrest was active in the business community, serving as a director of three publicly-held and numerous other privately-held companies, as well as participating in a number of startup enterprises in the telecommunications, life insurance, and title insurance industries. He supported a number of civic and charitable groups, participating over the years in the Chamber of Commerce, Austin Symphony, Knights of the Symphony (serving as Lord Chancellor), Downtown Rotary Club, Hospice Austin, Bachelors of Austin, Austin Assembly, Texas Lyceum (Vice President & Director), United Way, American Lung Association (Chair, Central Texas Leadership Council, and member, Regional Board of Directors), SafePlace Foundation Board of Trustees, UT Ex-Students Association, UT Chancellors Council, 1881 Society, and Littlefield Society, and the Long Center Corporate Council. For many years, Forrest was an active freemason. He served as Master of Parsons Lodge No. 222, and was a member of the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Ben Hur Shrine, and the Royal Order of Jesters. He was also created a Knight when inducted into the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem. From childhood, Forrest was active in all facets of the Methodist Church, especially the First United Methodist Church, where he served as chair of the Finance Committee, Worship Committee and the Endowment Fund Board of Trustees, plus was a member of the Nominations Committee. He participated in the Walk to Emmaus program and for many years sang in the choir. A memorial service will be held at Tarrytown United Methodist Church on Wednesday, December 2nd at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Roan-Puett Professorship of Pulmonary Medicine at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78229-3900, or the charity of your choice.