Walden F. Roush, 101, of Point Pleasant, died at his home,Saturday morning, October 3, 2009, in the presence of his loving family. Walden was born on June 17, 1908, in Wellsville, Ohio, to the late Probe and Maude (Foreman) Roush. He spent his young life growing up on his family's farm in Mason County, and graduated from Graham District High School in 1926. After beginning college at George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., Walden returned to West Virginia in 1932 and married his high school sweetheart, Louise Bennett. After finishing the year at George Washington, they returned to Mason County where Walden began his career in education teaching in a one room school, later holding a variety of administrative positions, and eventually becoming the Superintendent of Schools. He was a member of the American Association of School Administrators, West Virginia Elementary Principal's Association, WV Education Association, Association of Higher Education, National Education Association and the West Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers.

Walden and Louise spent 64 years at each other's side as constant companions, enjoying their love of family, travel, adventure, and making beautiful jewelry. Everywhere they traveled they made lifetime friends.

In addition to his parents, Walden was preceded in death by his wife, Louise (Bennett) Roush; daughter, Maudellen Roush Henry; two sisters, Esther Bush and Virginia McCombs; and brother, Donald F. Roush. He is survived by his son, Walden Bennett Roush and his fiancee, Beverly Cottrill Fleischer; five granddaughters, Diane (Barry) Redman, Robin Blas (David Jenkins), Lisa (Randy) Riddle, Lori (Jim) Doeffinger and Kelly (Mike) Kauffer; his nine great-grandchildren, Erin (Travis) Tolliver, Benjamin Redman, Zachary Marshall Blas, Cory, Jacob, and Ashton Riddle, Tess Doeffinger, and Zoe and Anna Kauffer; and his three great-great grandchildren, Bella and Alexa Tolliver and Jackson Redman.

Walden was the founder of the West Virginia State Farm Museum. He had a love and fascination for country life. He was quoted as saying, "I was afraid the farm heritage of West Virginia would be lost as modern methods and equipment advanced, as the old farm implements molded and rusted away in barn lofts and attics." Walden and his colleagues have collected for display early farm implements, a rural one-room schoolhouse, a country store with a post office, a log church, and a blacksmith shop, culminating in the museum that is still thriving and attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Central to Walden's life was his faith. He was a founding member of the St. Peter Lutheran Church, where he had been Sunday School Superintendent, had taught Sunday School and had been member of the church choir.

Along with his years of work and service at the Farm Museum and St Peter Lutheran Church, Walden also served as a member of the Mason County Welfare Board, assisted in organizing the Tri-County District Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America and also served on the Tri-State Council for a number of years, assisted in organizing the Girl Scouts of Mason County in 1957, assisted in organizing the Rationing Board for Mason County during WWII, assisted in organizing and then chairing the Mason County Civil Defense Unit, chaired the Mason County Savings Bond Committee, chaired the Mason County T.B. Association from 1936-1946 and served two years on the West Virginia T.B. Association Board of Directors, assisted in developing the Tri-County Industrial Development Association and served as its President in 1947, member of the Point Pleasant Rotary Club and the Gilmer County Rotary Club serving as President of both clubs, was Executive Director of the Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce for three years, assisted in organizing the Mental Health Association in West Virginia Region III, was an active member of the West Audio Visual Association and served two terms as State President, served on a committee of the WV Arts and Craft Fair since its beginning and was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Mountain State Arts and Craft Festival, served as President of the WV Arts and Craftsmen's Guild, served as a member of the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council, was a charter member of the WV Travel Clinic, served as a consultant to the Blue and Gray Trail Association, served as a consultant to the Middle Island Creek Development Authority, was an associate member of the WV Industrial Development Association, served as a judge for Community Action Programs in Central West Virginia, served on the Point Pleasant Zoning Board from 1970 to 1975, and was appointed by the Governor to the Nine-Valley Travel Council and served as its President. At the request of the Eastern Federation of Lapidary Societies, Walden and Louise traveled to Manuaga, Nicaragua to teach lapidary skills for a period of five weeks to a group of wheelchair patients. Walden was the editor of Vol. 4 History of the Roush Family in America, published in 1976.

Walden was also recognized for his civic achievements. His accolades include: The Boys Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award, Citation for chairing WWII Mason County Savings Bond Committee, Certificate of Recognition for 4-H Leadership, FFA Honorary Life Member, WV FFA Honorary State Farmer, Kentucky Colonel for civic leadership, Admiral, Cherry Creek Navy for community development, Better Homes and Gardens Award for development of Adult Education Programs, Who's Who in Education, Who's Who in the East, Mason County Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year 1976, Mason Vocational FFA Chapter Honorary Chapter Farmer Degree, Nine-Valley Travel Council 1981 Distinguished West Virginian Award, Sammy Kistler Award for outstanding tourism promotion, 1983 WV Volunteer of the Year and WV Historical Society 1993 Virgil A. Lewis Award and in 1995, was inducted into the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Hall of Fame.

A celebration of Walden's life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 9, 2009, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, in Point Pleasant, with Revs. George Weirick and Scott Baker officiating. Burial will follow in Kirkland Memorial Gardens. Friends and family are invited to gather at Crow-Hussell Funeral Home on Thursday, October 8, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., and also at the church one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the St. Peter Lutheran Church, 28th and Parrish Ave., Point Pleasant, WV, 25550.