William 'Bill' R. Roughton, 85

FOLSOM, Calif. — William "Bill" Russel Roughton, 85, passed away peacefully on May 13, at his home in Folsom, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and was the older of two children, growing up in Reading (Mt. Penn), Pennsylvania. Bill was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 63 years, Vera, his parents, Russel and Lillian Roughton, along with stepmother Betty Roughton and younger brother Arthur Roughton.

Bill is survived by his sons Michael (Lynne) of Newark, New Jersey, and Dave (Karen) of Sacramento, California; grandchildren Christopher, Heather, Sydney, Gregory, and Patrick; and great-grandchildren Henry, Samuel, Eleanor, and Skylar.

Prior to settling in the Sacramento region in 1991, Bill and Vera lived in Laconia for nearly 30 years, raising their children and developing lifelong friends. It was in Laconia where Vera and Bill discovered their devotion to the Catholic Church and began their journey together exploring the impact and importance of faith in their lives.

Bill continued to explore and serve his faith community after moving to Sacramento, volunteering at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in many capacities over the years including on the Parish Council, as a Eucharistic minister, liturgical reader and routinely helping to collect the gifts during mass.

Bill spent many of his professional working years in the automotive and security industries, both in New Hampshire and after moving to Sacramento. Bill loved helping people and solving problems. Both careers gave him immense pleasure and an opportunity to follow his passions.

In retirement, Bill spent most of his free time at the Aerospace Museum of California located at McClellan Park in North Highlands, California. He leveraged his experience as a U.S. Air Force veteran working as a docent at the museum for 18 years, logging more than 8,700 volunteer hours, conducting hundreds of community presentations to recruit volunteers, all while sharing his passion and enthusiasm for the museum. Bill especially loved to tour children through the museum, providing insights into the wonders of aviation, STEM education and aerospace science. He also was a dedicated volunteer in restoring the museum’s historic aircraft including a full rebuild of the F-106 trainer.

Bill will be best remembered for his absolute devotion to his family, friends, and faith. A celebration of life mass will be held on Tuesday, June 28, at 10 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, located at 1066 26th St., Sacramento, CA 95816. A reception with light refreshments will be held following the mass at the St. Francis Brunsman Hall, located directly behind the church.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers in memory of Bill may be made to the Aerospace Museum of California and sent to 3200 Freedom Park Drive, McClellan Park, CA 95652 or by donating at aerospaceca.org. Indicate your gift is being made in Bill’s memory.

Bill will be buried next to his loving wife, Vera, at the Gethsemane Cemetery in Reading, Pennsylvania later this summer. Simple Traditions Inc. is handling arrangements.