Maureen F. Roskoph

Nov. 27, 1939 – Dec. 21, 2025

Maureen F. Roskoph, a long time resident of Palo Alto, CA passed away peacefully on December 21, 2025 with her husband of 63 years, Paul, at her bedside. Maureen, born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1939, was the only child of Stanley Fromkes and Lillian Fromkes. She attended Cleveland Heights High School and received her Bachelor of Arts degree at The Ohio State University, where she met her husband-to-be at the end of her sophomore year. They married during Paul’s senior year of law school and resided in Columbus, then Highland Park, Illinois while Paul completed his stint in the US Army. After a short return to Cleveland, they settled in Palo Alto where they resided during the remainder of her lifetime. Their marriage produced two wonderful children, Robert Roskoph (Lauren) and Julie Roskoph Mell and five adoring grandchildren: Adin, Myles and Shayna Roskoph and Lillian and McKenzie Mell. Maureen excelled as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, friend, organizer, hostess, advisor, cuddler of infants at Stanford Children’s Hospital, volunteer and board member of numerous organizations. She was loving and beloved. Her smile, charm and heart attracted people as honey attracts bees, and she was the glue to her large family of cousins.  Maureen loved life, people and most of all her family. At the birth of her first grandchild, she made a weekly round trip drive to Davis, California to bond. The same was true with all the grandchildren – but she was fortunate to have all grandchildren live in the area to allow her to nurture and be the beneficiaries of her smile, joy, travel adventures and love. And her homemade cookies were always out for the kids and their friends. Her house was the stop-over on the way home from school.

Maureen started her post-college work as an elementary school teacher, took time off to be a devoted mother while the children were in grade school then found herself loving to share the day at the Stanford University Blood Bank, initially as a recruiter of blood donors, then gaining prominence as the coordinator of volunteers for the Blood Bank. She solicited and obtained weekly donations from merchants for movies for the lengthy apheresis procedure that would take 2 hours, as well as muffins, cookies, candies and goodies after blood donations. Maureen also volunteered weekly in the Children’s Hospital Gift Shop inventorying and stocking the candy which was constantly flying off the shelves. This led to a weekly Monday night out dinner with Paul and friends who shared the activity. This led to yet another association with Stanford that continued for over 20 years – meeting or housing post-graduate foreign students seeking Ph D degrees or graduate degrees, most often from Korea, but spanning the globe from Australia, South Africa, Italy and France. These relationship continue to this day as the “American Mom.” 

She was an active Board member in her Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills and the Stanford Children’s Hospital Development Office. She and a neighbor she met through AAUW formed a 6 couple duplicate bridge group that continued for over 50 years. Maureen thrived on being busy and entertaining. She and Paul hosted a Rosh Hashana afternoon pot luck for 70 people in their back yard annually for over 30 years – after preparing dinner for 12 on Erev Rosh Hashanah. It was her joy.

Maureen is survived by her entire family and her brother-in-law Donald Roskoph (Marlene) and their 2 children and 4 grandchildren.

A private service was held on December 23 and a public celebration of life will be held in February.

The family is appreciative of the loving care of Betzabe, Marina, a host of caring caregivers spearheaded by Adele and Vitas Hospice. Donations in Maureen’s memory may be made to a charity of choice or the Stanford Children’s Hospital Development, 400 Hamilton Ave.Palo Alto, CA 94301