Barbara D. Roehrick, 1925–2020
As of January 2021, Gaines-Jones Scholars (GJS) is proudly launching 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 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 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. She 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.
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 is being provided in her name.