Barbara “Barb” Roe was born the daughter of the late Robert W. and Lucille M. (Brooks) Jones on February 16, 1939 in Lake. She was a graduate of Farwell High School, class of 1957. She had grown up in Farwell and then moved to Clare when she married Robert ”Bob” A. Roe in September of 1957. A longtime resident of Clare, where she held part-time jobs at the Rexall Pharmacy and the Garfield Memorial Library while raising her children. In 1973 Barb and Bob purchased the Dairy Phil in Clare, and in the early 1980’s purchased the Dairy Phil in Farwell. Barb’s coney recipe was famous around the state, with Coney Day Tuesdays and many families stopping at the Dairy Phil for coneys on their way to cabin’s ‘up north’ in the summer. The Dairy Phil was the first job for many high school students in Clare and Farwell with Barb as their first manager and instilling a solid work ethic. Barb and Bob also sponsored the Clare Little League teams for many years, and even recently someone shared with the family an old Roe’s Dairy Phil Little League t-shirt they had saved. Barb loved to care for her trellises of roses and gardens of daisies which were located all around the Dairy Phil properties. Semi-retiring in the early 1990’s, Barb purchased a home in Farwell that she worked diligently to renovate and where she planted multiple flower gardens. Through the years she was a member of the Farwell Village Council, assisted to establish the Farmers’ Market in Farwell, and worked part-time at Soaring Eagle Casino and Witbeck’s Family Foods.
Barb is survived by her children Rex (Beth) Roe of Southlake, TX, Kristin (Donrad) Duncan of New York, N.Y., and Greg Roe of Clare; her brother Jim (Barb) Jones of Lake and grandchildren Tonya Roe of Farwell, Sarah Roe of London, England and Julian Roe of New York, N.Y. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Roe; her son Tim Roe and brothers Jerry Jones and Thomas Jones.
A private family funeral will be held, with a celebration of Barb’s life to take place on Sunday, June 23, 2024 from 1 to 4 P.M. at the Village Park in Farwell. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Barb Roe Memorial Fund to support the Village of Farwell Parks and Recreation department. https://www.gofundme.com/f/barbroememorialfund .
Arrangements were handled by the Clare Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. On-line condolences may be left at www.stephenson-wyman.com
