William “Bill” Erb Roth was born July 23, 1934, on a farm near Friend, to William and Clara (Erb) Roth, the eighth of 12 children, and passed away Friday, July 9, 2021, at his home in Milford at the age of 86.
As a young boy, they moved to Broken Bow until he was 15, and moved to Oregon, where he received his education at a Mennonite school in Sweet Home, Oregon. He was employed as an orderly at a hospital in Portland, Oregon. He furthered his education by receiving a teaching certificate and returned to Nebraska and taught for two years. On Aug. 2, 1959, he was united in marriage to Maxine Roth at Beemer Mennonite Church in Beemer and to this union a daughter, Arlene, and a son, Galen, were born. Bill moved to West Point, where he was an elementary teacher and went on to receive his Master’s Degree in elementary education in Kearney at which time he became principal at West Point Public Schools. He received his second Master’s Degree in Elementary Administration through Wayne State College. He was principal at West Point until his retirement in 1976. He and Maxine purchased and operated together a garden center and in 1979, a floral shop, “West Point Garden Center” and operated it for over 20 years. He was hired and cared for an Alzheimer’s patient for seven years in West Point until his passing in 2013. Bill always said that this was his favorite job. They moved to Milford in 2020. He loved gardening, growing plants, was an avid reader and enjoyed learning new things. Bill was everybody’s “go to” for advice about many things. He was a member of the Beemer Mennonite Church where he served his church in many capacities.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Arlene and Ronald Ehrlich, Marion, Kansas; son and daughter-in-law, Galen and Lavonne Roth, Milford; six grandchildren, Lee Ehrlich, West Point, Casandra (Trevor) Powers, Jessica Roth, Kenny (Emily) Pewett, all of Omaha, Quinn (Stephanie) Saunders, Milford, Brandi Saunders, Omaha; five great-grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law, Marilyn Sherman and Grace Roth, both of Lebanon, Oregon, Lois and Glen Oesch, Salem, Oregon, Marlene and Merle Kauffman, Fontana, California, brothers, Lauren Roth, Yakima, Washington, and Lyle Roth, Tofield, Alberta, Canada, many nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Clara Roth; wife, Maxine; brothers, Harold, Paul and Don Roth; sisters, Artis Bare, Laura Mae Eichelberger, and many other sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.
A graveside service was July 12 at Blue Mound Cemetery, Milford. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Beemer Mennonite Church. Condolences may be left for the family at www.lauberfh.com.
