William John Roach - dedicated husband, father, and grandfather - passed away at home on December 29, 2022.

William was born on January 28, 1941, to John and Katherine (Kunza) Roach in Kansas City, Missouri.  After William graduated from De La Salle Academy in 1958, he went on to study automotive mechanics.  He was drafted into the US Army in 1963 during the Vietnam War.  He graduated first in his class at the USARAL Noncommissioned Officers' Academy at the Yukon Command in Alaska in 1964.  He earned the grade of SP4 (E-4).  After military service, he went on to study forestry at The University of Missouri-Columbia.

During his time at MU, he especially enjoyed summers in Arizona fighting forest fires with the US Forest Service.  After graduating with a degree in forestry, he started his first job with the Missouri Conservation Department as a farm forester.  He also worked as a grain merchandiser for Farmland Industries in Arkansas.  His long career in forestry included the role of City Forester of Independence, Missouri and Springfield, Missouri.

In 1970, William met Lynn Ellen Harris and they were wed on September 25, 1971.  William and Lynn went on to have two children, Kyle Joseph Roach and Jennifer Lynn Essner, both of Springfield, and celebrated 51 years of marriage this year.

Through the years, William enjoyed anything related to trees, working on cars and farm machinery, and puttering around on the family farm in Niangua, MO.

William was preceded in death by his parents John and Katherine Roach and his brother James Roach.  He is survived by his wife Lynn Ellen (Harris) Roach, their children Kyle (Melanie) Roach and Jennifer (James) Essner, four grandchildren - Jack Butler, Luke Butler, Colin Roach, and Kate Roach, and siblings Mary Ellen Roach, Daniel (Karen) Roach and Paul (Elaine) Roach.

Visitation will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home on Tuesday January 3 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.  Graveside service will be on Wednesday January 4 at 11:00 a.m. at Maple Park Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests a memorial tree be planted through www.alivingtribute.org.