Ethel "Penny" Roth, 82, of Prairie du Sac/Sauk City - Published Aug. 27, 2008

Ethel "Penny" Roth, 82, of Prairie du Sac/Sauk City, died Monday, Aug. 18, 2008 in Montrose, Colo. from complications arising from congestive heart failure.  

Mrs. Roth was born Ethel Mae Bowman on June 28, 1926 to George and Roseanne (nee Ruddock) Bowman in Barberton, Ohio. She graduated from Heidelberg College in 1948 and continued her education on a scholarship to Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. She attained an advanced degree in Christian education and began her 56 years of Christian ministry at Evangelical Reformed Church in Evansville, Ind. In Evansville, she met and married William Roth, her husband of 55 years. He became the engineer at Badger Ordinance. She and her husband moved to their first apartment in Sauk City and then later purchased a home at 485 Washington Str. in Prairie du Sac where they would reside for the next 40 years. All together she and her husband have lived in the Sauk/Prairie area for 52 years.

For nearly half of that period, she served as pastor to the Merrimac United Methodist Church and the North Freedom United Methodist Church. For several years, she hosted a call-in radio show on local station WVLR called "Penny's Patter." She and Bill were longtime members of the First United Church of Christ in Sauk City and she was active in several church organizations as well as numerous civic organizations and bridge groups.

For health reasons, they moved in with their daughter and son-in-law, Beth and Robert Murphy, in the Wisconsin Dells.

Last September, they moved with their daughter to a small ranch outside the   southwestern Colorado city of Montrose. They were joined there this past May by their middle son, Paul.

Mrs. Roth loved the natural beauty of their new mountain location and the abundant wildlife outside her door. She also loved the antics of the family's indoor wildlife - two Labrador retrievers named Jake and Jett. She quickly became active in the Montrose community, joining The Hillcrest United Church of Christ, the Hillcrest Women's Union, and two separate bridge groups.

Mrs. Roth is survived by her husband, William P. Roth; three children, George Phillip Roth (Gail), of South Whitley, Ind., Paul B. Roth, of Montrose, Colo. and Elizabeth R. Murphy (Robert), of Montrose, Colo.; two grandsons, Chris Burnworth (Jenna) and Corey Burnworth (Stephanie), of South Whitley, Ind. and five great- grandchildren.

She was the youngest of eight children and was preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings.

A Memorial Celebration Service honoring her life will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 6 at the First United Church of Christ, 504 Washington Ave. in Sauk City with Pastor Bill Kapp presiding.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to one of Penny's favorite charities - Mabel's Building Mission, S7559 US Hwy 12, Apt. G13, North Freedom, WI. 53951. This local ministry builds homes for the poor in Mexico.