Melba Louise (Wallace) Roach

ROACH, WALLACE

Posted By: Ann Bowler (email)
Date: 10/27/2011 at 14:06:18

“Osceola Tribune”, Osceola, Iowa, March 17, 1964 p. 1.
“Funeral In Osceola Sunday For Newton Murder Victim”

“A former Weldon woman, Mrs. Melba Louise Wallace Roach, was fatally stabbed and her body left by the side of a country road near Newton, Friday. Her divorced husband, James Paul Roach, called police and told them he had killed his wife and directed them to the body.

Roach is a former inmate of the mental hospital at Clarinda. They were divorced three years ago. She had been an employee of the Polk County Welfare department for 11 years.

Services for Mrs. Roach were held at the Webster Funeral home in Osceola Sunday afternoon, March 15 with Rev. John Isom of Des Moines, officiating. Burial was in Maple Hill cemetery.

Mrs. Roach was born at Weldon, February 17, 1922, daughter of Lloyd M. and Lois Moore Wallace. She received her education in the Weldon schools and Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls.

She was married to James Paul Roach on April 24, 1953 and three children were born to them.

Survivors include her mother, Mrs. Lois Wallace of Weldon; three children Nancy Kay, Karen Lynn and James Todd; one brother, Robert A. Wallace of Mitchellville and one sister, Mrs. Nadine Mah of Seattle, Wash.”