JAMES E. ROTH 1930 - 2003

BISHOP, ROTH, WERNER, MCQUILLEN, GAU, GILLIGAN

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 9/8/2003 at 18:58:13

James E. Roth

Telegraph Herald - Friday, July 18, 2003

EAST DUBUQUE, Ill. - James E. "Goph" Roth, 73, of 550 Montgomery Ave., East Dubuque, died at 4:48 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2003, at home, following an apparent heart attack.

Services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Church, East Dubuque. Burial will be in the East Dubuque Cemetery, where military rites will be accorded by members of the American Legion Post 787 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7976. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Miller Funeral Home, East Dubuque, where there will be a parish scripture service at 3 p.m.

He was born on Feb. 11, 1930, in Dubuque, son of J. Elmer and Lureen R. (Bishop) Roth. He was a lifetime resident of East Dubuque, having graduated from East Dubuque High School in 1947.

After serving in the Korean War as a member of the Army, he returned to attend Loras College and married Mary Jane Werner in 1954. He and Mary spent 12 years in Des Moines and Cherokee, Iowa, while working in the insurance industry before returning to East Dubuque to own and operate Goph's Hardware in East Dubuque until 1976. Prior to his retirement, he worked as a pressman for the Register Printing Co.

Goph was proud of the community and held volunteer positions with the Warrior Booster Club as a charter member and the City Recreation Department. He enjoyed working with the Little League program and tracked two generations of young men, believing that talent is unpredictable in every young man at the earliest stages of learning the game of baseball.

His proudest accomplishment with the Booster Club was coordinating and facilitating the development of the current high school football field, resulting in receiving The Citizen of the Year award sponsored by the PTA.

He served his community as a former member of the Jo Daviess County Board of Supervisors, Past President and member of the East Dubuque Lions Club and former member of the East Dubuque American Legion Post 787.

Goph's true passion in life revolved around sports. He excelled personally as a baseball player having been asked to try out with the Washington Senators (a professional team at the time), prior to being drafted into the Army. He remained a die-hard Chicago Cub and Bear fan. Post-retirement, he picked up the game of golf and was a member of the Lacoma Golf Club.

In the final years of his life, he most enjoyed the company and activities of his children, grandchildren and several lifelong friends. He was always ready to encourage, advise and share good times and laughter. As a husband, father, grandfather and friend, he will be remembered and treasured for his sense of humor and contributions to his community and family.

Surviving are his wife of 49 years, Mary Jane (Werner) Roth; three daughters, Kathy (Loras) McQuillen, of Holy Cross, Iowa, Kim (Jim) Gau, of Guttenberg, Iowa, and Cindy (John) Gilligan, of Dubuque; five sons, Jim Roth, of Lombard, John (Karen) Roth, of Naperville, Bill (Judy) Roth, of Marion, Iowa, Bob (Anne) Roth, of Peosta, Iowa, and Dave (Lori) Roth, of Downers Grove; his beloved six granddaughters and 12 grandsons; and two brothers, Charles (Mary Ann) Roth, of Broadview, and Jerry (Geraldine) Roth, of East Dubuque.

He was preceded in death by his parents, J. Elmer Roth in 1972, and Lureen "Gram" R. Roth who died this past February.

In lieu of flowers, a James E. "Goph" Roth Memorial Fund has been established.