American Legion leader Roethel dies at 74

Monday, May 24, 1999 | 12:01 p.m.

Romaine Roethel was never one to back down from a good fight.

She battled as feverishly for the rights of veterans, battered women and abused children as she did against breast cancer, which she overcame, and bone cancer, which took her life.

"Romaine was truly a role model for all women," said longtime friend Judy McLaughlin. "She was never afraid to speak her mind. She new what had to be done, and she did it."

Romaine Roethel, the first female department adjutant for the American Legion, who crusaded for the anti-flag burning constitutional amendment and the establishment of Nevada Family Week, died Saturday at Willow Creek Vista Care. She was 74.

Services for Roethel, who lived in Las Vegas since 1989, are pending. Palm Mortuary is handling the arrangements.

Roethel served as Nevada American Legion adjutant from 1992 until her retirement in 1998 -- the only woman ever to hold one of the more than 100 department adjutant positions throughout the world.

"Romaine wouldn't back down from anyone when she thought she was right," Nevada State American Legion Commander Pat Burch said. "I would not be where I am today in the legion if it weren't for her."

Burch was commander at Post 19 when Roethel was appointed adjutant. He credited her with getting the state legion office in good order and helping him achieve the post he currently holds.

Burch said the state legion convention starting July 17 at the Plaza hotel-casino will be dedicated to Roethel.

Roethel spoke of her feisty and opinionated ways in a 1995 Sun story: "I get on my soapbox at lunchtime at the legion, and they all groan. They say, 'Oh, Romaine, we sure wouldn't want to fight you.' "

A Democrat, she was elected to the Novi, Mich., City Council in 1973 and four years later was elected mayor. Roethel was re-elected to a second two-year term in 1979.

In 1981 Roethel served as president of the 1 million-member American Legion Auxiliary, traveling the world and conferring with heads of state, ambassadors and world military leaders on veterans issues.

Her many causes included the proposed legislation to amend the Constitution to make desecration of the American flag a federal crime. She lobbied Nevada lawmakers on veterans issues including the yet-to-be-built Southern Nevada veterans care home.

She championed the legion's Child Welfare Foundation and worked with the Legion Auxiliary to establish the last week in November as Nevada Family Week.

Her adjutant duties included looking after statewide legion membership issues, publishing the group's newsletter and answering veterans' questions about benefits.

Born Romaine Bowerman on April 19, 1925, in Toledo, Ohio, she was the third of nine children of Harley Bowerman and the former Esther Sorter.

Growing up during the Depression, Romaine took in ironing as a pre-teen to pay for piano lessons. She had her first job at age 12 and graduated from Delta (Ohio) High School in 1943.

At 20 she joined the Navy and worked under the captain who headed up court-martial proceedings in Cleveland. On a weekend trip to Detroit, Yeoman Third Class Bowerman got into a poker game and beat Lt. John Roethel out of $13. A few weeks later, he asked her to marry him. They would have been married 53 years in August.

In recent years she overcame life-threatening breast cancer only to be diagnosed with bone cancer, which forced her to retire from her legion duties last August. During retirement Roethel enjoyed playing pinochle with friends, Yahtzee with her grandchildren and reading about politics.

Asked to list what she was most proud of, Roethel told the Sun in 1995: "My family and their achievements. My kids are good. They're great examples of clean living, and that to me is a blessing. And my husband, he has never raised his voice to me in 49 years. And I'm extremely proud to have served my country.

"For my generation, I've led an unusual life for a woman. I'm going to die happy."

In addition to her husband, Roethel is survived by three sons, Matthew Roethel of Las Vegas, Mark Roethel of Prescott, Ariz., and John Roethel of Las Vegas; a daughter, Jennifer Ann "Luke" Streit of Indianapolis; and six grandchildren.

The family asks that donations in Roethel's memory be made to the Safe Nest Shelter for battered women and abused children in Las Vegas or the legion's Child Welfare Foundation.