Roark, William Gene

William Gene (Jim) Roark, 73, of Blacksburg, passed away Friday, December 26, 2008, at Montgomery Regional Hospital. He was born in Salyersville, Kentucky on February 7, 1935 to the late Sterling and Eva Arnett Roark and was also preceded in death by a sister, Ella Josephine “Jo” Leach.

Jim attended college in Salinas, California before entering the Army in 1954. While in the Army, he was assigned to the branch of Army Intelligence. He retired from the United States Postal Service with over 30 years of service and was Postmaster in Radford, Virginia from 1974 1990. He was a Past Commander of the American Legion Post #182, a Past Vice Commander of the VA Western Region of the American Legion, a former President of the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Postmasters, and a member of Hunter Masonic Lodge #156. Jim was a very caring person who loved his family, friends, country, and Baptist faith.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Perdue Roark of Blacksburg; one daughter, Kimberly Layne Roark of Blacksburg; one son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth V. and Peggy Ann Wrenn of Lynchburg, Va.; two grandchildren, K. V. Wrenn, a student at VA Tech, Natalie Lynn Wrenn a student at Radford University; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Judy Garland and Clarence R. Dowdy of Blacksburg, Janet Hatfield of Radford; one brother and sister-in-law, Jene Proctor and Gloria Roark of Christiansburg; brothers and sisters-in-law, Hattie Sue and David Dove of Christiansburg, Glenn and Frances Perdue of Christiansburg, Clyde and Dorothy Perdue of Maybrook, and a brother-in-law, Bernard Perdue of Blacksburg.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday, December 29, 2008 at 3 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel with the Mr. Bobby Fuller officiating. Interment will follow in the Westview Cemetery, Blacksburg with a Masonic Graveside Service by Hunters Lodge #156 and Military Honors by VFW Post #1184.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Blacksburg Rescue Squad, 200 Progress St., Blacksburg, Va., 24060.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday evening at the McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, Blacksburg.