August 5 2015: ROTH, Richard O.

Richard Oliven Roth

Richard Oliven Roth died peacefully at his home in Wheaton, MD on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at the age of 85.

Richard was born on May 2, 1930 in Kingwood, West Virginia to Nettie Pearl and Erie Melvin Roth. He graduated from Kingwood High School in 1948. From 1950 to 1954, during the Korean Conflict, he served in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of Airman First Class. He married Ruby Batchelor of Monticello, Georgia, on July 28, 1956. After completing meat-cutting school in Toledo, Ohio, they settled in Wheaton, Maryland. He worked as a meat-cutter for Giant Food for 36 years until his retirement in 1993.

Richard was an avid collector of trains, toy trucks and cars, and watches. He was a history buff and loved reading history, watching documentaries, and visiting historical sites. He was a fan of Westerns and game shows, and watching the stock market. He had a small workshop in his basement that he used to build birdhouses, small furniture, and other household projects. One of his “small projects” started out as a back porch but turned into a dining room addition to the house. Richard was ingenious in his ability to use anything on hand to fix things. It was rarely the best or easiest way to do it, but it worked. This came to be known to family and friends as “Roth-rigging.”

He loved to tell jokes and funny stories, usually laughing so hard he could barely finish. The highlight of his morning was reading Dennis the Menace, Pickles, and Family Circle. He typically had a smile on his face and could always be heard whistling a happy tune.

Richard is survived by his wife, Ruby Batchelor Roth; daughter Pamela Roth Eubanks and her husband Larry, of Walkersville, Maryland; daughter Karen Sue Roth and her wife Debbie Addison, of Laurel, Maryland; and son Richard Erie Roth, of Wheaton, Maryland; granddaughter Angela Eubanks Mendelson and her husband Eric, of Frederick, Maryland; grandson Austin Eubanks, of Walkersville, Maryland; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents Richard is preceded in death by his brother Melvin Roth, of Anmoore, West Virginia; sisters Ruth Duvall and Opha Spahr, of Kingwood, West Virginia, and sister Betty Ashcanase of Alexandria, Virginia.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, August 7 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, Maryland. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, August 8 at 1:00 p.m. with visitation an hour prior, at Viers Mill Baptist Church, 12221 Veirs Mill Road, Silver Spring, Rev. Robert Wilson and Dr. Larry Eubanks officiating.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Viers Mill Baptist Church, Silver Spring, Md.