Stanley Roth

Stanley David Roth Jr., 89, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in Lawrence, KS, with family by his side. A memorial service will be held Monday, August 12, at 10am at the First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence. The family will receive friends from 5-7pm on Sunday, August 11, at Warren McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

Stan was born May 21, 1935, in Bismarck, North Dakota, the son of Dr. Stanley and Lucile Graunke Roth. After graduating in 1953 from high school in Olathe, KS, Stan attended Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, KS, where he discovered his life-long passion for biology, earning a BSE with majors in biology and industrial arts and a MS in Biology. Desiring to share his boundless enthusiasm for the natural world, he embarked on a teaching career at Lawrence High School in 1959 and taught high school students biology in Lawrence for 40 years.

The high standards Stan set for his students were matched by the remarkable opportunities he provided to enhance their learning experiences, including live menagerie classrooms and weekend and summer field trips to discover and experience the treasures of the Kansas natural environment. He inspired students with his infectious enthusiasm for the natural world and involved them in several long-term studies investigating cave bats, snake dens, Ferruginous Hawks, Great Blue Herons, and the diversity of amphibians and reptiles. Not only did students learn about the natural environment, they also learned lessons about life and how to be good people and care for others. An astounding number chose careers in science and medicine after being exposed to the world of science and discovery by Stan.

In addition to teaching and research, Stan served as an officer in numerous professional scientific organizations in Kansas, some for which he was a charter member. He also served as president of the National Association of Biology Teachers. In these organizations, he became well acquainted with professional biologists and university colleagues who then opened doors to Stan's students, providing them with further opportunities to enhance their experiences. After retiring from teaching, he continued as an adjunct naturalist at the Kansas Biological Survey, where he enjoyed academic discussions with students and colleagues, attending seminars and other events at the university, for over 20 years.

Stan received numerous awards and accolades for his teaching at the national, statewide, and local level, as well as awards in recognition of his recycling and environmental conservation efforts. He was inducted into the Kansas Teachers' Hall of Fame (2011) and Olathe Public Schools Wall of Honor (2022), and was named Kansas Conservation Champion in 2016 (Kansas Natural Resources Conference).

In 1962, Stan recruited Janet Beckner to join the LHS biology faculty. They were an excellent teaching team with complementary approaches to encourage learning, and their blossoming relationship developed into their marriage one year later. Together they led 33 annual student field trips to Florida and Hawaii to give midwestern youth first-hand experience in marine biology, and spent 9 summers teaching at Florida State University in a NSF program for high school students.

Stan spearheaded the recycling movement in Lawrence by starting a paper drive, which helped make trips affordable for students. He also organized field trips for adult groups–including state science teachers and Kansas Academy of Science members–and provided numerous workshops and programs on various natural history subjects, particularly snakes, bats, and special places in Kansas, to youth groups such as the Boy Scouts, sportsman clubs, community service clubs, and industrial employee groups. Some of his recent community involvement included the First Presbyterian Church Board of Elders, Outside for a Better Inside Board of Directors, Black Jack Battlefield and Nature Park Board of Trustees, Douglas County Retired School Personnel, and the Endacott Society.

In addition to his parents, Stan was preceded in death by his brother, Harry Roth, and his oldest son, Larry Roth. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janet Beckner Roth, son Jim Roth (Jane Waterman), daughter Debby Ziegler (Brad), grandchildren Tim and Alex Roth, Jack, Carson, Maggie, and Adam Ziegler, and brother John Roth (Connie).

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Lawrence Schools Foundation for the Stan Roth Science Scholarship (https://lawrenceschoolsfoundation.org/donate/) or to the KU Endowment for the Stan and Janet Roth Nature Trail (https://kuendowment.org/home/who-we-are-overview/donor-commitment/). Contributions can also be sent to Warren McElwain Mortuary, 120 W 13th St, Lawrence, KS, 66044.

For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.