Barbara D. Roehrick, 1925–2020
In 2021, Gaines-Jones Scholars (GJS) proudly launched the Barbara D. Roehrick Memorial Teacher Award, a new annual award for education majors and teachers. Funded by Robert M. Roehrick, GJS co-founder and trustee, and his brother Charles T. Roehrick, a devoted GJS donor, this new legacy award honors their late mother, a Chippewa Falls Senior High School (Chi-Hi) English Literature teacher from 1967 to 1987 in their home town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
Barbara was born and raised in Chippewa Falls, and although she traveled the world, she lived her entire life with this quaint town on the Chippewa River as her base. She graduated from Chi-Hi in 1943 as Valedictorian, and went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a BA from Milwaukee-Downer College and Summa Cum Laude with a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Barbara was a charter member of the local AAUW chapter and the United Way of Chippewa County. She founded the Chippewa Falls Excellence in Education Committee, and served as a board member of Literacy Volunteers of America. She was a member and board member of Delta Kappa Gamma, women’s educational society, and Phi Delta Kappa educational society. She was also a member of the Elks Ladies and St. Charles Church.
An avid supporter of GJS, Barbara possessed a grand love of life and an engaging way with people, putting them at ease, even upon first meeting. She would be honored this support of teachers bears her name.
Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, the $2,000 Barbara D. Roehrick Memorial Teacher Award was awarded to Brandon Lewis, a GJS Scholar attending graduate school for his master’s in education. There have been four subsequent annual awards since then. Each year, the GJS selection committee chooses a worthy recipient.