Maree Curtis Roush

Maree Curtis Roush, age 89, passed away at home on the evening of June 28, 2025, peacefully and surrounded by her family. Maree was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Charles Roush, Sr.; her biological parents Robert Gilmore Christian and Lois Maree Lawley Miller; her adoptive parents Melvin A.Curtis and Ida Mae Curtis; siblings Rondal "Jim" Miller, Gary Miller, Alfred Miller, Malcomb "Mike" Curtis and sister Betty Worthington. Maree is survived by her brothers Steven Miller, John "Larry" Miller, Benjamin "Ben" Miller, Douglas Miller, Marvin Miller, and Kenneth "Kenny" Miller. She is also survived by her two children Angela Maree Roush Lanefski (Keith) and Richard Charles Roush, Jr. (Rita); grandchildren Richard "Trae" Charles Roush, III (Melissa), Kristy Maree Lanefski Neal, Jake Michael Lanefski (Lauren), Bryce Peyton Roush and Tori Camille Roush; great-grandchildren Joel Roush, Gabriel Stone Neal, Thayer Michael Lanefski and Brennan Margaret Lanefski, along with many nieces and nephews. Maree was born on July 31, 1935, in Quitman, Georgia. She was a lifelong resident of Irvington, Alabama, attending St. Elmo Elementary and graduating from Alba High School in Bayou La Batre. After high school, she continued her education at Lander College in North Carolina for one year, where she made the all-star volleyball team. She then returned home to be with her love Richard, whom she met at 14 years old while playing a basketball game. During her school years, Maree was active in many clubs and sports, served as captain of the cheerleading squad, and was homecoming queen. She lived on a farm and learned the importance of growing their own food, making their own butter and cheese, soap and syrup, and feeding family and friends every Sunday after church. Picking vegetables, berries, fruit, cotton, okra, and picking up pecans were everyday activities along with feeding chickens, goats, sheep, mules, dogs, cats, and milking cows. Maree won the "best cow" award at the State fair for her cow Betsy. Maree played the piano and made her own clothes from feed sacks. They were considered rich in life. She dated Richard until he left for the Air Force, then continued until they were wed in 1955. Maree was always ready for a challenge, a game, traveling, a movie, good food and spending time playing with the grandchildren. She had a fun-loving, infectious spirit. After she returned from college, she held various jobs, including sales, bookkeeping for a construction company, her son's business, and several other entities. Everything she tackled, she gave it her all and succeeded. For most of her working career, she was a bookkeeper of the highest caliber. She lived it and breathed it until she retired at 80, when she struggled to remember. Maree loved life, her family, and God. She was raised as a Protestant and converted to Catholicism to marry Richard and raise their children in the Catholic faith. We will forever miss her beautiful smile.

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Maree Curtis Roush

July 31, 1935 - June 28, 2025