Maryanne Roode

Maryanne was preceded in death by her husband Ralph and brother Victor Gardner. She is survived by her brother Charles Gardner, sons David, Dana, Malcolm and Brian; daughter Becky; her granddaughters Stephanie, Adria and Natalie; her grandsons Christopher, Alexander, Scott and Nolan; five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Maryanne was born in Powell, Ohio on December 8, 1928. Powell was a small rural community at the time and the family lived in a converted school house. Her second cousin Marge, who was a close childhood friend, lived next door. Maryanne moved with her family to Columbus, Ohio when she was in the fourth grade but rode her bicycle to Powell to visit Marge when she could.

Maryanne graduated from High School in Columbus and enrolled in the Ohio State University. She fondly shared memories of the job she had in a drugstore about that time, where she learned skills such as writing backwards. While attending Ohio State, Maryanne met Ralph James Roode, who was completing a masters degree in Physics; the two married in 1950 after Maryanne completed her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.

Maryanne worked for a period of time at Battelle Memorial Institute; she became a full time homemaker in 1954 when her first son was born. Ralph had a series of jobs in the technical and aerospace industry, and the family moved multiple times over the years. The Roodes lived in Worthington Ohio; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Timonium, Maryland; Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Santa Barbara, California; Richardson, Texas; and Cincinnati, Ohio. Maryanne and the family moved to Irvine, California, in 1971.

After Ralph left the aerospace industry, Maryanne began a second career working for the Integrated Data Corporation where she was an administrative supervisor in charge of golf handicapping for regional golf courses. She retired in 2000.

For a sixth grade essay he was writing, Maryanne told her grandson Alexander that her greatest achievements in life were her children’s achievements. Her lifetime passions were her family, reading, and contract bridge. She was awarded Silver Life Master status by the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid reader of mystery novels, reading many books each week throughout much of her retirement. Her children and grandchildren affectionately recall the pleasure of sitting down with their Mom/Grandma to watch Jeopardy, an important tradition in the Roode household.

A memorial service is planned for July 13th at Saddleback Chapel in Tustin, California.

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