John Wesley "Johnny" Roark

John Wesley Roark (he was called Johnny by most of his friends) was born

August 18, 1927 in Haslet, Texas. He was the youngest of four children born to Julia Wykes Roark and James Oscar Roark. As young man he was always interested in Radio, so after graduation he attended college in Arlington, Texas and studied Radio and TV production. I don't think he completed college before moving from Texas to Washington state where he worked as a radio dispatcher for the Washington State Patrol. Afterward, he took a job as staff announcer for KGY, Olympia, Washington and KPKW, Pasco, Washington. Additionally, the enterprising young man typed menus for a small café, which meant he got his meals there free. Then he came back to Texas to work at KVET, Austin. While in Austin, Johnny once again studied Radio and TV production at Texas University. It was also in Austin that Johnny met his soon-to-be wife, Bobbie Ann Groves. Bobbie Ann was raised in Altheimer, Arkansas and was living with a girlfriend at the YWCA at the time. Following a movie one evening the two young women stopped to have a soda at the Walgreen's counter on Congress Avenue. In walked Johnny and a buddy of his, and the four struck up a conversation, making a date for the following week.

Johnny and Bobbie were married in Rockdale, Texas by Haney Roark in Haney's home. The newlyweds moved into an Austin garage apartment and began what was to be a very happy marriage. Johnny and Bobbie would have four children. Before the birth of the couple's first child in December of 1951, they moved to Weslaco, Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (a semi-tropical area Dad always described as beautiful) where Dad took a job with KRGV-TV & Radio. He very much enjoyed the broadcasting industry and most of his professional career was spent at that one station, though I do remember him being lured away briefly by an advertising agency once and by a couple of newspapers another time. When Johnny was in his mid-forties, the station had a very significant shift in radio programming, moving from Middle of The Road music to Rock. Although he was the last one to go, he wound up without a job just like all of his former colleagues. Six months later, he went to work as a Public Relations Specialist for the Associated City-County Economic Development Commission. And roughly six months after that, on February 19th, 1973 he died. It happened in the middle of the night, and we never knew whether it was a heart attack or a hemorrhage. One leg, his left as I recall, was withered. It was a couple of inches shorter than the right leg and did not function at all, so he wore a brace on that leg and a built-up shoe. I know that Grandmother Roark thought the withering was a result of it having been broken and badly set when he was a young child, but that never made sense to Dad, and he believed that polio had also become involved around the time of the break. He went thru multiple surgeries as a child .. all performed at Children's Hospital in Dallas. The surgeries were performed on both legs - on his bad leg to try to lengthen it ... and then on his "good leg" to slow, or stop, the growth of it. The leg never stopped him from doing anything he wanted to do. When we were growing up, he swam, played tennis with us, and even danced (because he knew Mother loved it so)! And he could teach anyone to do anything - just give him a book on the subject. Johnny was one of those people who never had a bad word to say about anyone, was kind-hearted, quick with a helping hand, and loved a good joke. And I'm richly blessed to have known him and to have been able to call him Dad. He was survived by his wife, Bobbie Ann Groves Roark and their four children.

Lynda Lou Roark Arnold, born December 3, 1951 is the oldest of the four. She graduated from Texas Woman's University with her B.S. Degree in Nursing. Her husband, Tom Arnold, is a urologist in Irving, Texas. They live in Euless and have a son, Tommy Lee Arnold. He has just completed his freshman year in college at Abilene Christian University. Lynda and Tom work together in his busy practice in Irving. They hope to retire in a few years...or less...and plan on traveling and playing as many golf courses as they can. Anna Jamiece Roark (has always gone by "Jamie" .. don't know why she's the only one who wound up with a nickname), born August 5, 1953, lives in Houston, Texas. For about 16 years Jamie was a television news anchor/reporter. Like many TV professionals do, Jamie used a different last name - Jamie O'Roark - in order to protect her privacy. Since leaving the news business in 1989 and starting her own film & video production company, SunGroup Films, she has continued to use her professional name for business purposes. So don't let that confuse you. Jamie has two dogs, two finches, and a cat and is currently fighting the urge to add a singing canary to the mix. Michael James Roark was born on October 26, 1955. Two years ago he retired from the Air Force after serving his country for 20 years. While with the Air Force Michael worked and lived all over the place, including Japan and Cyprus. He has found his skills as a System Administrator very much in demand. Currently, Michael is living in San Antonio, Texas and is working for Sprint PCS. He's a movie enthusiast and is on a first-name basis with everyone at his neighborhood Starbuck's. Jonda Lee Roark Leitch was born on March 24, 1957 and is the youngest child of John Wesley Roark. She also attended the nursing program at Texas Woman's University where she graduated in 1980 with her degree in nursing. She married her husband, Michael 14 years ago and they have a son, Jonathan, who is 10 years old. He currently attends a private Christian School in Dallas. She works full time... and more as a pediatric intensive care nurse for Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Her husband is a contractor specializing in carpentry. She is in her third year of Bible Study Fellowship. She enjoys making pottery in her spare time.

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