Roudebush, Ola Humphrey

Ola Mae Humphrey Roudebush, 95, formerly of Dublin passed away November 23, 2015 at Island Home Park Health and Rehab, Knoxville, Tennessee. She was born in Wilco, West Virginia, on April 15, 1920 to the Rev. C. G. Humphrey and Clarice Booth Humphrey.

Ola Mae was preceded in death by her parents and husband Joseph (Buzz) Roudebush II of Dublin, Virginia; brother William R. Humphrey of East Hartford, Connecticut; son-in-law the Rev. Dr. Charles Burnett of Knoxville, TN; a special nephew Steve Humphrey of Kernersville, N.C.; and niece Clarice Parker of Connecticut.

Ola Mae is survived by a daughter Judy Burnett of Knoxville, TN: a son J. C. Roudebush III and wife Glenda of Galax, VA. She is also survived by her four grandchildren: Wes Burnett of Max Meadows, VA; Dr. Jill B. Dickerson and husband Clint of Atlanta, Georgia; Wendi R. and husband Dr. Arthur Pemberton of Galax, VA; and the Rev. Jake Roudebush IV and wife Kimberly of Salem, VA. Her seven great-grandchildren are Andrew (Drew) and Rebekah Dickerson of Atlanta, GA; Madelyn (Mimi) and Jaycie Pemberton of Galax, VA; and Graham, Clarke, and Quinn Roudebush of Salem, VA. Other survivors include one niece Margaret “Dixie” Botticello of Massachusetts; several cousins, nieces, and nephews; and her deceased brother’s grandchildren Todd and Staci Humphrey of Greensboro, NC. A special cousin Robert S. Booth and wife Meda of Austinville, VA also survive.

Ola Mae loved growing up and going to school in Roanoke, VA, but her father’s ministry took the family to Pennsylvania. Here she finished her schooling and started her career as the bookkeeper at the Company Store in the coal mining town of Volant, PA. Ola Mae met and married Buzz Roudebush, and their daughter Judith Ann was born in PA. By the time their son J.C. was born, the family had moved to Virginia.

During her lifetime as a working mother and homemaker, she worked at the Radford Arsenal (World War II), in Dublin at Allen’s Furniture Store and the Dublin Theater, and at Norfolk and Western in Pulaski. She opened Montgomery Ward in Radford and was store manager there for many years. She was a hostess and relief house mother at Radford University, and she also worked at the Dublin Post Office. She came out of retirement to be the bookkeeper for Mayberry Buick in Pulaski and then retired for the last time as the bookkeeper for Heritage Buick, also in Pulaski.

Buzz and Ola Mae enjoyed camping and boating and spent over twenty years at the Roseberry Campground at Claytor Lake. They entertained family and friends from April to October, and this is where their grandchildren learned to swim and waterski. She and Buzz even named their boat for their granddaughters!

Ola Mae was a lifelong Methodist. She joined the Methodist Church in Roanoke, VA when she was twelve years old and was a faithful member of the Dublin United Methodist Church for many years where she was a long-time member of the choir and the Guild. She was a Christian lady–a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and faithful friend. She was known for her gifts of chicken casseroles and coconut pound cakes whenever church family or friends in the Dublin area had sickness or death.

Growing up in Roanoke, spending summers as a girl in Wythe County, and the summers camping at Claytor Lake were the best years of her life. Family was the most important thing to her; she loved reunions and cooking for friends and family at all the holiday gatherings at their home or at the lake. Ola Mae and Buzz always supported their children’s and grand-children’s activities and were so very proud of ALL of them and their accomplishments.

Funeral services will be held at 8:00 PM – Wednesday evening – November 25, 2015 at the Bower Funeral Chapel, Pulaski where the family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM. The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Jake Roudebush following the visitation.

It is fitting that Ola Mae’s final resting place will be at her beloved Booth Family Cemetery in Wythe County where her grandparents, parents, brother, and husband of forty-nine years are buried. Interment will be 11:00 AM – Friday – November 27, 2015. Bower Funeral Home, Pulaski is handling the arrangements for the family.

www.bowerfuneralhome.com