Mrs. Linda Sue Roach, 69, of Reeds, Missouri, a longtime area early childhood educator, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday evening, March 8, 2012 at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Missouri after a brief decline in health. Linda entered this life on May 10, 1942 in San Antonio, Texas to the late L.T. and Carolyn E. (Kenney) Smith. After various moves, she spent the latter years of her childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was a 1960 graduate of Edison High School. She received her bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and later went on to receive her master's from Oklahoma City University. On August 8, 1965 in Tulsa, Oklahoma she was united in marriage to Kenneth Robert Roach and they raised two sons and two daughters. She and Kenny moved to Joplin, Missouri in 1965 and began her teaching career. She retired after thirty years of service with the Joplin R-VIII School District, most of those years were spent with her beloved kindergarteners. During that time, Linda and Kenneth also owned and operated Kiddie Kampus Daycare and Kiddie Kollege Pre-School. Linda was currently the Education Coordinator for Headstart, covering four counties and thirty-seven classrooms. She was very involved with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and was a recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award of Southwest Missouri. Linda was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Sarcoxie, Missouri where she served as chair of the daycare board. She loved children and people in general. Linda is survived by her husband of forty-six years, Kenneth R. Roach of the home; two daughters, Brenna Hall and husband, Randy, of Avilla, Missouri and Whitney Franklin and husband, Bob, of Lincoln, Nebraska; two sons, Eric Roach and wife, Kim, of Reeds, Missouri and Keith Roach and wife, Heidi, of Carmel, Indiana; eleven grandchildren; Mason, Rae-Lynn, Mallory, Brayden, Kylee, Hannah, Kendall, Beau, Tynleigh, Irelynn and Ethan; three sisters, Leslie Lawson and husband, David, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lindsay Cooper and husband, Wayne, of Coweta, Oklahoma and Lacy Smith-Morgan and husband, Shannon, also of Coweta; a brother, Larry Smith and wife, Barbara, of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other family and friends. Funeral services for Mrs. Roach are 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center in Sarcoxie, Missouri with Bro. Sam Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in the Sarcoxie Cemetery. Those honoring her life by serving as pallbearers are Eric Roach, Keith Roach, Mason Roach, Larry Smith, Bob Franklin and Bob Wilson. No formal visitation will be held. In lieu of flowers memorials are being directed to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life or St. Jude's Children's Hospital and contributions may be left at the funeral home. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our website www.housh-goodwinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Housh-Goodwin Funeral Home in Sarcoxie, Missouri.