Carol (Junion, Roach) Jones, Green Bay died on August 9, 2023, surrounded by loving family members and friends. She was born in Green Bay on October 6, 1937, daughter of the late Dr. Melville J. and Gertrude C. (Watson) Junion. She married William A. Roach on May 19, 1962, with whom she had and is survived by four children, Beth Anne (Roach) Schulz (Jeff) of Green Bay; William J. Roach, Esq. (Linda) of Pewaukee; Dr. Michael P. Roach (Dr. Julie Dabkowski) of Michigan City, Indiana; and Dr. Stephen Roach (Ann) of Sacramento, CA. She is also survived by her sister Joyce Barina (the late Jerome) of Racine, Lynne (Mommaerts, Frits) (Marv Hellenbrand) of Middleton, niece, Sandra (Mommaerts) Morelli and nephew, Matthew Mommaerts with daughters, Sage and Leah, Waunakee. Carol married Edwin Jones in 1983, who preceded her in death in 1995.
Carol was blessed to love and serve as an inspiration to nine grandchildren including: Derek Waldeck Sheboygan; Will of Denver, and Alex Roach of Madison; Austin of Chicago, Jack of Dallas, and Ellen Roach of Chicago, and Kaila, Aiden and Nathan Roach of Sacramento.
Carol was a native of Green Bay and attended St. Patrick Grade School and St. Joseph Academy before attaining her BA degree from the college of St. Theresa, Winona, MN with a double major in Education and Social Science and minors in Psychology and History. She initially worked as a social case worker for the Green Bay Diocese before serving in various capacities as a sales associate.
In 1986, she joined the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce where she provided dedicated service for over twenty years, before retiring as Vice President of Development. When Carol was first hired, the Chamber had approximately 500 members and under her leadership grew to over 1,000 members in three years. Throughout her career, Carol felt it imperative that her role was to help others achieve their goals and teach that the workplace can be fun. Among the many career highlights, Carol was a committee and board member of the National Association of Membership Development, receiving a national award in 1993. She was called on a regular basis to speak at state and national programs on Chamber Development. In 2002, Carol earned the distinction of Chamber of Commerce Executive (CCE) status as awarded by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Before retirement and in honor of her many Chamber and community achievements, Carol received the key to the City of Green Bay from Mayor Jim Schmitt.
Carol was extremely active and passionate about civic and community organizations including the YWCA Antique Study Club’s Vintage Clothing Collection in Wausau, where she developed and produced vintage fashion shows for local, regional, and national conventions. In 1975, she was presented with a lifetime membership for her service. Her firm belief that fashion is an art and a reflection of history served as an inspiration for countless shows, parties, and presentations. One of her crowning achievements was producing and serving as Master of Ceremony for the celebration of the Brown County Historical Society’s 100th Anniversary Program entitled “Dancing Through the Decades.” On behalf of the Society, Carol also performed historical reenactments of the founder, Jesse Buchanan, in a production called “If Tombstones Could Talk.”
In Green Bay, Carol served as a leader on many community boards of directors including the Neville Public Museum Foundation Board, Brown County Historical Society, De Pere Main Street Program, St. Mary’s Medical Center – A Woman’s Place, and Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society where she served four terms including that of Governor. From 1996-2006, she researched and documented not only the history of the Antiquarian Society but also the artifacts owned by the Society, now housed in the historical buildings at Heritage Hill State Historical Park. Carol was also actively involved in the 2007 Antiquarian community campaign to raise more than $1 million for documenting and displaying for public viewing the artwork and other notable assets obtained from the Brown County Library. In 2011, Carol produced a Vintage Fashion show for the Antiquarian Society which served to raise funds to conserve these artifacts.
Carol was also a member of the Kiwanis Club, YWCA Women of Vision, volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association, Salvation Army, raised funds for Notre Dame Academy and produced unique high school reunion programs for the former St. Joseph Academy and Central Catholic High Schools. She also served on the Mayor’s Beautification’s Selection Committee and Fund-Raising Committee for the City of Green Bay’s Neighborhood Associations. Carol served on the Liturgical and Cultural Artifacts Committee at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Diocesan Museum, where her committee implemented an interactive computer terminal kiosk documenting the history of the Catholic Church in Northeastern Wisconsin.
Carol did many wonderful things for the community but will best be known by her children as a wonderful, caring, selfless mother. To her grandchildren, she will be remembered, among other things, as the founder of the “Adventure Club” which served to gather the grandchildren for a Gramma led fun-filled journey to some new destination. Another cherished event that Carol created was “Camp Green Bay” which brought together her children, grandchildren, and extended family for fun, games, campfires, and tractor rides during several summers at her beautiful home overlooking the Bay. And to her friends, Carol was a classy and spirited lady who loved gathering friends (the more the merrier) for a cocktail on the “drinking porch” and very simply lived life to the fullest “ya gotta love it!”
Carol and family are grateful for the excellent care she received from the attendants and staff at Oak Park Place Assisted Living Facility, the medical staff at Bellin, and Aurora BayCare Intensive Care Unit. She will be missed but never forgotten.
Friends and family may visit at Newcomer Cremation, Funerals, Receptions, 340 S Monroe Ave on Wednesday August 16, 2023 from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm with a prayer service at 5:45 pm. Visitation will follow the next day, Thursday August 17, 2023 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, 140 S Monroe Ave, from 9:30 am until 10:45 am and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Inurnment will take place at Allouez Catholic Cemetery.
To share a memory please visit www.NewcomerGreenBay.com
Posted online on August 10, 2023
Published in Green Bay Press Gazette
