James Roth

Lodi, WI: On February 25, 2015, James H. Roth lifted off "into the wild blue yonder" (to quote a WWII song he was fond of singing.) That may be an unconventional way to launch an obituary, but Jim was an unconventional guy and right now is standing on the other side, saluting this tribute.

Here is an abridged "Life and Legacy" of Jim Roth.

Origins: Jim was born in Milwaukee on 10/26/24 to Marion and Joseph Roth, who had four other children: John (d), Richard (d), Joseph, and Marilyn. A child of the Great Depression, Jim worked after school setting up bowling pins, carrying ice, ushering at the movie house, and delivering newspapers.

Enter Audrey: Jim had a life-changing experience as a paperboy, part of "God's great mosaic plan," as Jim would say. Newspaper in hand, he beheld Audrey Jacobsen through her open apartment door, standing on a kitchen table having her dress hemmed. That powerful image sustained him throughout his years of service overseas. Jim would return to Milwaukee in 1946 to marry his Aud.

WWII: Master Sergeant Jim Roth, "2BAD2 in the ETOO," loved serving in the 8th Army Air Force. His experiences in London, Blackpool and Liverpool shaped his character and his destiny, enabling him, for example, to attend Marquette University on the GI Bill, majoring in accounting.

Career: Jim Roth, CPA, CFO, COO, amassed 40 years of experience in financial management/consulting within the health care field, tallying 500 major accounts in 49 states and the Middle East.

Family: Jim and Aud begat six children: Jennifer, Victoria (d), Cynthia (Anita Kranz), Jim (Lou Ann Lunde), John (Shelly Nickel), and Baby Joseph (d). His family expanded over time as adult children begat children: Travis (d), Tori (d), Livia (Sean Wiemann), Matthew (Alyssa Werner), Emily, Merriellen (Nate Stephens), Kristina, and Michelle. And grands are begetting great-grands, currently consisting of Kayli, Jakob, Ashon, Melinda, Carter, Melanie, Blake, Edison, and soon-to-be-Baby Oliver.

Lake Wisconsin: In the 80s, Jim and Aud retired to the cottage in Okee built by Aud and her folks, Evelyn and Jack Jacobsen in the early '40s. Picture them sitting on their pier at sunset, welcoming home their loved ones and enjoying the beautiful lake in all seasons.

Good Samaritan, Lodi: Jim spent the past six years as a resident of Good Sam, receiving excellent, loving care. The Roth Family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to staff and volunteers who treated Jim and Aud so kindly.

Legacy, in a nutshell: A complex man of many facets and moods, Jim's passions made him a unique individual: family, reading, music from his era, skating, biking, tennis, genealogy, his three beloved places -- England, California, and Lake Wisconsin. He was a gifted writer, had an amazing vocabulary, a magical way with numbers, a propensity to "rube-goldberg," a philosophical bent ("let's see how it all evolves"), and a generous spirit.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH, 521 Fair Street, Lodi, on Friday, February 27, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. A visitation will be held at church on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the mass.

Winn-Cress Funeral Home
5785 Highway Q, Waunakee
(608) 849-4513