Geraldine McGinty Roach's Obituary
Geraldine McGinty Roach, lovingly known as “Jerry” to her friends and “Sister” to her nine siblings, went to be with her Lord and Savior at 5:35 P.M. on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. She was a devoted mother and a proud Granny, and lived 98 blessed years.
Jerry was the oldest of ten children, born to Reverend Robert Newton McGinty and Mamie Gertrude Chaney. She was born on March 23, 1924, in Humphrey, Arkansas, and picked cotton with her sharecropper dad. She moved to Longview, Texas, in her early 20s and attended nursing school. She graduated with honors and met her handsome sailor, Jesse Robert Roach.
She loved to cook for hearty appetites—especially her sour dough bread that was always given away as a gift or a thank you. Her passion was her family and nursing. Jerry nursed everyone and everything from pets to people, and always extended life with excellent and attentive care.
Jerry’s nursing career included working at Markham Hospital and being a technical nurse at R.G. LeTourneau Manufacturing, but private duty nursing was her true passion. Many a doctor would request she take a case saying, “I promise it won’t last long,” but Jerry would pamper the patient and infuse them with life.
Jerry was a long-time member of Oakland Heights Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Robert Roach, her parents, her seven younger sisters: Lucille Hansel, Betty Swinney, Linda Sue Hooten, Charlene King, Odessa Ables, Barbara Reynal and Henrietta Huffman; and her two younger brothers Reverend John McGinty and Reverend David McGinty.
Those left to cherish her memory, her wisdom and her many childhood stories are her son Robert Byron Roach (Anda) of Longview, her daughter Jessica Ferguson (Jim) of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and her grandchildren: Russell Roach (Erin), Kyle Roach (Macy) and Cullen Roach, Chaney Ferguson Hopkins (Nick), Brian Ferguson (Theresa) as well as her very special great grandchildren: Stephen, Maddie, Ellie and the future little Benaiah; her brother-in-law, Paul Huffman and many special nieces and nephews.
Visitation is Saturday, July 23rd at 1:30 at Rosewood Park Mausoleum Chapel. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. Services are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview.
The family would like to thank her compassionate caregivers MaryAnn Jackson, Tammy Lundy, Ginger Keown, Ashley Lawson, Patsy Thornton, Bobbie Norris, Theresa Nelson, Premier Home Health, Dr. Jeffrey Hart, Dr. Roger Kiser & Heart to Heart Hospice.
A memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.
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