Long time Baxter County resident William Thomas (Tommy) Roane, 87, of Mountain Home, passed on to be reunited with the love of his life on August 22nd at Baxter Regional Medical Center.
Tommy was born July 24, 1930, in Cotter, Arkansas to Claude and Edna Wolf Roane.
He, his parents and siblings moved to Mountain Home from Cotter in 1941 where his father worked for Arkansas Power & Light. In High School, Tommy played football on the first Mountain Home Bomber team after World War II. In his junior year, he met the girl that would become his wife, partner and best friend. On September 21, 1950, he married that girl, his sweetheart Janet Tippitt, in the First United Methodist Church of Mountain Home.
After Tommy served in the US Navy as a Machinist from 1952 - 1956, he and Janet spent two years working in Saint Louis to save money to buy land. They returned to Mountain Home, bought a farm and settled in to raise a family. Soon their family grew to include a son Roy and a daughter Jane. Jane married David Prewett after college and the grandchildren, Haley and Wesley, that were the pride of Tommy's life were born.
Besides being a wonderful, loving, husband, father, and grandfather, Tommy was a farmer. His career also included positions at Ideal Bread Company and Powell True Value Hardware.
He and Janet were good farmers and in 1987 they were named the BAXTER COUNTY FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR. He was also a member of the CATTLEMAN’S ASSOCIATION and served as Chairman of the Board of BAXTER MANOR NURSING HOME.
He was a loyal member of FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH of MOUNTAIN HOME for more than 75 years, including working with the Church Youth when his children were in High School.
He very much enjoyed working on the farm, square dancing, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals and Arkansas Razorbacks.
Tommy was preceded in death by his wife, Janet Tippitt Roane, parents, and his siblings, Sallie Lou Roane Dawkins, Robert Roane, Jack Roane, and Dorothy Lucille Roane Stewart.
He is survived by son Roy Roane of Mountain Home, daughter Jane Prewett and son-in-law David Prewett of Russellville, Arkansas, granddaughter Haley Prewett of Oxford, Mississippi, grandson Wesley Prewett of Little Rock, Arkansas, and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.
There will be a Gathering of Friends and Family at KIRBY & FAMILY FUNERAL HOME CHAPEL on Friday, August 25th from 5:00pm - 8:00pm.
A Funeral Service will be held at FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH of MOUNTAIN HOME on Saturday, August 26th at 2:00pm with burial to follow at MOUNTAIN HOME CEMETERY.
In lieu of flowers, the Family would appreciate Memorials in Tommy’s memory to FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF MOUNTAIN HOME.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services.