Faith Russell Roach

With her children in attendance, Faith Russell Roach, 96, of Meadowlark Hills, Manhattan, Kansas died of natural causes on Friday, August 12, 2022.

Faith was born in rural Neosho County on June 6, 1926 to Viva and Ray Russell. Her older brother, Raymond, was away at school during her childhood, so she spent much of her time in the company of the farm’s chickens, cows and produce. Her stories of collecting eggs, bringing the cows home at night, turning many rows of water melons and taking produce to market reveled her early desire for city life. Faith was 16 when her father died - she and her mother moved to Chanute and Faith attended Neosho Community College. She then moved to Manhattan to complete her BS in Dietetics at KSU (1947). She completed her dietetics internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio (1948). While she attended KSU, she lived at a rooming house in the home of Georgia and Gavin Roach where she met their son, Tom, after the war. She and Tom married on August 20, 1949 in Chanute, Kansas and moved to Hays where their daughter, Rebecca, was born. She worked as a dietitian at Hadley Memorial Hospital. In 1954 they moved to Newton, Kansas where Richard was born and Faith worked at a Methodist Youthville. In 1959 they came to Manhattan where Faith and Tom remained throughout their lives. Faith began graduate work at KSU and received her MS (1966) and PhD (1973) degrees. She taught, did research and directed the undergraduate dietetics program in the Restaurant, Hotel, Institution Management and Dietetics Department (now Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health) in the College of Human Ecology (now Health and Human Sciences). She made many deep and lasting friendships with the undergraduate and graduate students she advised, with the faculty and staff at KSU and with dietetics professionals throughout the world.

Faith was active in the American Dietetic Association (now the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) at the local, state and national levels. She received various nominations, recognitions, and awards during her career, including the KDA Dietician of the Year (1989). She was also involved with Omicron Nu. Her P.E.O. sisters were very dear to her.
Upon retirement, Faith traveled extensively, volunteered locally and dined out frequently with many friends. She very much enjoyed retirement.

Faith is survived by her children, Rebecca (Gerry Walter) and Richard (Allison), and her granddaughter, Katherine. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Tom, and her sister and brother.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the next few months. Faith loved everything Kansas. Please find her spirit in the sunflowers in the fields, the wheat in your bread and the hills on the Konza.

Her family wishes to thank At Home Care for the wonderful companionship she’s had for her final years and Accord Hospice for their care at the end of her life.