Cathy Rhea Roach, 61, of rural Osco, lost her battle with Pancreatic Cancer and went to her Heavenly reward on Tuesday, December 24, 2013, at her home, with her loving family by her side. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 28th, at the Osco Community Church. Rev. Paul Benevides will officiate. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Cambridge Chapel of Stackhouse-Moore Funeral Services. Private committal services will be on Monday at the Rock Island National Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Osco Community Church.
Cathy Rhea Follin was born May 26, 1952 in Quincy, Illinois, the daughter of Fern W. and Esther I. Rhea Follin. She was educated in Orion area schools and graduated from Orion High School in 1970. Cathy attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Her marriage to Larry A. Roach took place on September 25, 1971 in Osco.
She worked as a cook in nursing homes, first at Oak Glen Home in Coal Valley for three years and then for 17 years at the Lydia Home Association in Chicago. In 1994, she and her husband moved back to Osco, and Cathy was employed at Hillcrest Home until retiring in July of 2013. She was an active member of the Osco Community Church. Cathy enjoyed gospel music, her card ministry, and family events. She was an avid Green Bay Packer fan.
Those surviving are her husband, Larry, a daughter, Stephanie Wittenauer, Coal Valley, two sons and a daughter-in-law, Nathan Roach, Osco, Timothy (Emily) Roach, Rock Island, three grandchildren, Jaxon and Bryant Wittenauer, Isaac Roach, and two step grandchildren, Cloe and Blaze Smith. Other survivors include a sister, Carol (Hank) Kappelman, Cambridge, nieces, Christina Gunther, Edwardsville, Lisa Kay Swartz, Michigan City, IN, Dena Rhea Cocquit, Geneseo, IL, Candy Snook, Cambridge, a nephew, Scott Kappelman, Orion, and numerous great nieces and great nephews. Her parents preceded her in death.