Obit – Mrs. Fern Roe

Mrs. Fern Roe, a homemaker of South Carthage, died peacefully at the age of 87 at 5:36 a.m. Thursday morning October 12, 2023 at her Overlook Drive home surrounded by her family. Caris Hospice of Cookeville had assisted the Roe family with her care in her waning days. 

Mrs. Roe was at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home and had requested to be cremated. That will be performed at the Cumberland Family Services in Algood. 

The eldest of four children, three sons and a daughter, she was born Lajuanna Fern Cash on October 16, 1935 in the Qualla Township in Swain County, North Carolina; which is located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation and was the daughter of the late Verble Olen Cash who died September 25, 1968 at the age of 52 and Bonnie Marie Riddle Cash who died February 9, 2006 at the age of 97.

A daughter, Julie Annette Roe Moore died at the age of 65 on December 15, 2022.

Two brothers preceded her in death, Verble Olen “Sonny” Cash Jr. who died at the age of 45 on May 13, 1990 and George Samuel Cash Sr. who died at the age of 66 on November 30, 2012.

Mrs. Roe was a 1953 graduate of the former Cookeville Central High School.

In Detroit, Michigan on October 7, 1953 she was united in marriage to Somerset, Kentucky native John Marvin Roe.

Her husband of almost twenty nine years was a well-known and beloved Carthage physician, Dr. John M. Roe who died of a massive heart attack on August 20, 1982 at the age of 52.

Mrs. Roe was of the United Methodist faith.

Surviving are two daughters, Angie Roe Gregory and husband Tim of the Horseshoe Bend Community, Margaret Roe McDowell and husband Tommy of South Carthage; son, John Roe of the Brush Creek Community; brother, Harold Cash and wife Emily of Lebanon; five grandchildren, India Gregory Givens and husband Cayce and son Ridge, Maisie Roe-McDowell, Bonnie Roe-McDowell, John Moore, Anna Marie Moore and children, Adrianna and Zoe Moore.

SANDERSON of CARTHAGE