May Jane 'Janie' Roth

Hays, Kansas - Mary Jane "Janie" Roth, age 82, died Friday, July 18, 2008, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas.

Survivors include two daughters, Sherrie Ann Roth Cronin and husband Kevin, Montgomery, TX; June Yvonne Roth Hanson and husband Gary, Galena Ill; a sister, Elsie Urban and husband Edgar, Cupertino, CAL; a sister-in-law, Mariacristina VonFeldt, Miami, FL; three grandchildren, Francis Casey Roth Cronin, Shenandoah Marie VonFeldt Cronin and Emerald Teresa McManus Cronin.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis J. Roth, who died March 28, 1995, her parents, John G. and Anna (Wittman) VonFeldt, two brothers, John J. Vonfeldt and Elmer VonFeldt. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Daughters of Isabella and the V.F.W. Auxiliary all of Hays.

She was born June 10, 1926, at Vincent, Kansas. After graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class, she went on to attend Fort Hays State University. She then explored the country working as an award winning dramatic director for Empire Productions, raising money for WWII efforts. She and Francis married on June 10, 1947, at Hays, Kansas, It was their gift to have a very special 50-year romance. She worked as one of the first continuity writers at KAYS Radio, and was the business force behind Roth Electronic Engineering, which she and her husband owned and operated from 1950 to 1995. After raising her family she returned to FHSU to pursue her love of art. She produced paintings that grace the homes of family and friends.

In later years she escorted tours at Sternberg Museum and celebrated being a red hat lady. The greatest legacy she left was a rich and inspiring life fully lived.

Services are 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Hays, Kansas; Burial in St. Joseph Cemetery Hays, Kansas.

A Daughters of Isabella rosary is at 6:30 P.M. Monday followed by a V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service and a vigil service is at 7 p.m. Monday, all at Cline's Mortuary of Hays 1919 E. 22nd Hays, KS 67601.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Monday and from 8:30 to 9:45 A.M. Tuesday all at Cline Mortuary of Hays.