Richard W. Roachell

RICHARD W. ROACHELL of Little Rock died July 31, 2014. At the age of 10, Richard made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at Life Line Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. Our Lord called our beloved Richard to his heavenly home on the evening of July 31, 2014, after a long illness. Richard Wilson Roachell was born on May 14, 1946, the beloved son of Woodrow and Juanita Roachell of Little Rock. He is survived by his sister, Mary Ann Pope and her husband, Richard; two nieces, Shelley Short (Tommy) and Ashley Pope; and one nephew, Richard Pope III, all of Little Rock; two great-nieces; and one great-nephew. He will be dearly missed by his family, a host of friends and numerous relatives. Richard was as unique as his many friendships through the years. His talents were varied and he truly enjoyed being the center of attention. He was a comedian, a Master Gardener, a diehard bass fisherman, an amateur photographer, an animal lover, a great friend, and even a famous elf at Christmastime. Richard's smile was contagious, his personality was larger than life, and his heart was that of a compassionate giver. Richard took great pleasure in delighting his family with unusual treasure hunts and marvelous gifts at Christmas. One of the fondest memories we all share of him was his annual recital of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas' at family gatherings and the care he took to keep us all on the edge of our seat. Richard graduated from Central High School in Little Rock in 1964. After graduation, Richard served his country honorably in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Minot, N.D. and then was deployed to Vietnam where he served two years at Cam Ranh Bay Air Force Base. After serving in the military, Richard entered the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973. He served as the UALR Student Body President in 1972. While attending UALR he became a distinguished member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity where he acquired numerous lifelong friends. After graduation, Richard enrolled in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law and was awarded his Juris Doctorate on his birth date in 1978. After law school, Richard joined the law firm of Cearley, Gitchel, Mitchell and Roachell, which later became Mitchell & Roachell. Richard was a masterful attorney and served many years as counsel for the Arkansas Education Association. Later in his career, Richard continued to practice law in his own firm, Roachell Law Firm. Richard also loved his community and was a founding member of the UALR Alumni Association and also served as the Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Shannon Hills for many years. His community & public service was recognized in 1988 when he received the President's Award from the UALR Alumni Association. While Richard will be truly missed by his family and friends, we can rejoice in knowing that he is safe in the arms of Jesus enjoying heaven's majesty. To honor him, a Celebration of Life service will be held on Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street in Little Rock. Richard's family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the staff of Southern Trace Rehabilitation & Care Center and to Arkansas Hospice for their excellent care. To sign the online guestbook, go to www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.