Samuel Emmett Emmett Roach
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Samuel Emmett Roach, a lifelong Frisco resident, passed away peacefully after a short illness on December 30, 2021. His wife and children were by his side. Born August 7, 1935, Sam has been called a Frisco Icon. He watched his beloved town of 600 become one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. His great grandfather Roach built the first house in Frisco in 1902 and his maternal grandparents owned Curtsinger's Drug Store on Main Street, once the center of downtown Frisco. Sam was raised on and worked the Roach family farm and ranch on Preston Road. Most of the land has stayed in the family for four generations. Sam lived on the property all his life. Sam graduated valedictorian from Frisco High School in 1953 and the University of Texas in Austin in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He worked 19 years as an engineer and manager in the aerospace industry for LTV (originally Chance Vought) and was involved in all aspects of military training equipment programs for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. With his knowledge of land and farms, Sam retired from LTV and became a commercial real estate broker specializing in both. In 1974 he began leasing several buildings on his acreage off of Preston Road with several tenants. He added buildings over the years and it is now the Sam Roach Business Center with more than 80 tenants. He never retired and was still managing the Business Center when he died. Sam didn't just watch his town of Frisco grow, he participated in the vision serving various positions. He was instrumental in starting the Frisco Economic Development Corporation where he served as president from 1991 to 2000; he served on the Collin County United Way Board of Directors; he was on the Founding Board of Governors of Stonebriar Country Club; served as director and vice president of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce and was a member for 36 years; was a member of the Texas Economic Development Council for 12 years; and served on the Board of Directors of the Collin County Central Appraisal District. He valued education and lead the Frisco Independent School District Board of Trustees for 12 years serving as president for 7 years. He advocated for all persons seeking higher education to have the means to do so. He was a member of the Collin College Foundation Board and trustee of the Collin College Board serving as chairman from 2000-2006. In addition, he has given numerous scholarships to Frisco ISD students and Collin College students throughout the years. He received the Collin County Community College District Award in Recognition of Commitment to Academic Excellence, Exemplary Leadership and Distinguished Service in 2013. Sam was honored to be Frisco Citizen of the Year in 1988 and later Silver Citizen of Frisco in 2015. Sam Roach was an honorable man in the days when a handshake was your word. He had the rare skill of listening and the wisdom to know just the right thing to say. He loved his family and friends. He was an amazing husband and an extraordinary father, grandfather and great grandfather. And for many he was a dear friend. But mostly, Sam Roach was a kind, generous, larger-than-life good man. Sam was predeceased by his parents, Tom and Irene (Curtsinger) Roach; his wife, Ann Haggard Roach, the mother of his children; and his wife Anita Newman Roach. He is survived by his beloved wife, Judy Marsee Roach; his children, daughter, Jill Beaver (Richard); son, Rusty Roach (Michelle); grandchildren, Melissa Beaver, Kristen Westmoreland (Will), Sam Beaver (Erika), Kyle Roach (Elizabeth), Christiann Roach (fianc? Tanner); and great grandchildren, Brooks, Emmett, Charlotte and Levi. Private inurnment will be held Friday, January 7 at Restland Cemetery. Memorial Service will be 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 8 at Grace Avenue United Methodist Church, 3521 Main Street, Frisco 75034. Reception to follow. Service will also be live streamed: https://gasanctuary.online.church/ In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Sam's honor to Frisco Education Foundation or Collin College for scholarships. To convey condolences or to sign an online registry, please visit www.tjmfuneral.com