Terescita Gwendolyn Roane

Terescita Gwendolyn Taylor Roane was born April 27, 1950 in Provenience, Rhode Island. She was born from the union of the late Cecil C. Taylor and Olga Clairidge Taylor.At a very early age, Teri’s parents relocated to Brooklyn, NY, where she spent most of her life as a youth. Teri was brought up in and regularly attended St. Phillips Episcopal Church, also in Brooklyn. She attended New York Public Schools and after graduating from Central Community High School, enrolled in Penn State University where she majored in Public Administration. She later transferred to City College of New York where she majored in Elementary Education and minored in Black Literature and Related Studies, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree. Teri worked with various community and youth programs in Brooklyn during her teen years and through her years at City College. Some of them included the Brevort Community Center, The Kingsboro Community Center, The Children’s Aide Society, The Drug Prevention Program of Brooklyn, The Federation of Addiction Agency, and The Police Athletic League, to name a few.Soon after graduating from City College, Teri moved to St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands where she accepted her first real teaching job of a third grade remedial class. After one year, she moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where she accepted a multitude of educational opportunities. In addition to her educational experiences, she met many lifetime friends, including her longtime and devoted friend, Juanda Barkley. She also got married during that time and through that union, conceived her crown jewel of a son, David L. Phifer.In 1981, God lead Teri, along with her mother and her sister Barbara to Richmond to join her cousin Marjorie Taylor, as she moved back to the south. It was there that she met and became good friends with Ronald. After a lengthy friendship, the two of them decided to take their friendship to another level. They were later engaged and in October of 1988, exchanged wedding vows. During this time, they also took in and raided as their own, their extended son Demetric Leeper, and daughter, Kenna Bolling.Teri also connected with the Richmond Public School system, a short time after arriving and held a number of positions there, including 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades, teacher for the Special Program for Academic and Creative Excellence (SPACE), Mathmagic, and summer school lead teacher. In 1999, she received her Masters of Arts in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University, in Washington, DC. She has, for the past five years, served as the Assistant Principal at Whitcomb Court Elementary School.Terescita leaves to cherish her memory: her devoted and loving husband, Ronald W. Roane; a devoted son, David L. Phifer, and his girlfriend, Jamila Braithwaite; extended son, Demetric Leeper, extended daughter, Kenna Bolling; mother, Olga Taylor; sister, Barbara Peyton; brother, Cecil Taylor of Orlando, FL; mother-in-law, Agnes E. Roane of Chester, PA; three sisters-in-law, Patricia E. Roane of Upper Darby, PA, Cynthia Rose (John ) of West Chester, PA, and Janice Taylor of Orlando, FL; two brothers-in-law, Kelvin Roane (Shirley)of Bear, DE, and Stuart w. Roane, Jr. (Lynette of Charleston, SC; a devoted aunt, Geraldine Smith; a host of devoted nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousin. Among them Marjorie and Michael Goodwin, Kenneth and Loretha Taylor, Yvonne Coleman, and Frank and Carolyn Taylor; a great host of devoted friends, among them, Juanda Barkley, Ursula Conway, Gloria Pleasants and Artie White, her loving church family, From The Heart Church Ministries of Richmond, The Whitcomb Court Elementary School teaches, staff, and student body; devoted friends and caretakers, LaToya Porter and Gail Hudson and friend and prayer partner, Vivian Lucus.Terescita was a true and caring friend to so many people, and astounding mentor to many others, and a great educator to her students. She was a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, auntie, cousin, and was the perfect soul mate for her husband. Teri was so very loved and will be tremendously missed by all who knew her.

Tributes

Terescita Gwendolyn Roane

April 27, 1950 - August 30, 2005