Former 20-year Claremont resident Ellen Byrne Roach died at her home in San Marcos on May 28, 2009. She was 76.

Born to Lt. Col. James P. and Charlotte Byrne on July 9, 1932 in Kingston, New York, Ms. Roach was the second of 4 daughters. Throughout her childhood—during which her family was the first in the neighborhood to own an automobile and a television—she lived in Kansas and South Carolina as the family followed her father while he served in the United States Cavalry.

It was in high school that Ms. Roach met her future husband, Tom Roach.  As a member of the drama club make-up crew, she found him in her chair, ready for transformation, prior to a school performance. They married in 1953 and celebrated 54 years of marriage before his death on May 2, 2008.

Ms. Roach graduated from New Paltz University in New York with a degree in art, which she continued to be passionate about throughout her life. 

From 1968-77, she taught art at Vista Del Valle Elementary School, reveling in teaching her students to not be too concerned about “staying within the lines.” She exposed them to the various styles of great artists and was so proud of her students when they would happily and successfully identify the “masters.”

“She loved teaching perspective and the flash of wonder a student would display when a student learned that they could create that magic themselves,” wrote the family in a remembrance.

Due to Mr. Roach’s employment with Kaiser Steel and because of the excellent reputation of Claremont schools, Ms. Roach and her husband moved to Claremont in 1957. As the mother of 6, her children all remember her constant presence at school: she was a room mother, PTA president, Girl Scout leader and ice cream social chair.

She also volunteered the family home as a polling place for many years. 

A wonderful cook and gracious host to all who entered her home, Ms. Roach enjoyed the company of visitors regardless of their age.  One of her favorite events of the year was when the Claremont 4th of July parade passed in front of the house and she could hand out hotdogs to the onlookers and parade participants. 

“Those who were at those functions recall that as a favorite time as well,” shared the family. 

For many years, the Roach family spent their summers at a beach house, and friends of the family remember Ms. Roach as the Balboa Beach “mom to all.” 

“The rental house on Montero Street was littered with sleeping bags and wet towels for many Augusts,” the family shared. 

In 1978, summers at the beach turned into life at the beach when Ms. Roach and her husband fulfilled a lifelong dream and moved to San Clemente. For 30 years, they loved their life there. 

While visiting her family’s homestead in Woodstock with 3 of her children in May 2007, Ms. Roach suffered a stroke. A second stroke occurred on the anniversary of her husband’s death.

Upon returning to California after the Woodstock visit, Ms. Roach and her husband moved to north San Diego County to be closer to family.

Though Ms. Roach had many friends throughout her life, alone time was also a satisfying way to spend the day.

“She was a person who was very happy with her own company,” said Ms. Delaney. “She had a lot of friends, but she could be as happy staying at home as she could going out. She wasn’t a needy person at all.”

Ms. Roach’s family also noted that she was “truly the model of a proud woman of her generation.”

“She survived the decades of the 50s, 60s and 70s, and raised children through what some would call the hardest times,” the family penned. “She was the woman who would sit in the sun—no SPF for her—always elegant, with that ubiquitous glass of red wine and a Winston, while watching her many kids play in some body of water.  She would drive a crowd of children without seatbelts, while never exhibiting much anxiety over such trivial things as skin cancer, substance abuse, water safety or young bodies hurling through the windshield.”

“Each of her children knew that ‘they’ were her favorite and the same goes for each grandchild,” said her daughter, Patty Delaney. “All of her friends as well knew that they were Ellen Roach’s best friend.”

Ms. Roach is survived by her 5 daughters, one son and their families: Kathleen Webber and Greg Clover; Patty and Bob Delaney; Mary Roach; Tom and Pam Roach; Julie and Tony Cuchessi; and Maureen and Dan Hislop; and by her grandchildren, Laura and Robby Delaney, Nick and Amanda Cuchessi, Madeline and Brennan Roach and Hannah, Zachary and Matthew Hislop.

A memorial Mass will be held at noon on Monday, June 8, 2009 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in San Clemente.