Narnie (Woddail) Roll

Narnie Woddail Roll was born to George and Wilma Woddail in Beaumont, Texas, on September 5, 1924, the eldest of two children. From the age of three, she displayed a remarkable gift for music, picking out notes on the piano by ear. Her parents nurtured this talent with formal lessons, and by age twelve she was already teaching younger students after school. She graduated from Lamar Junior College before earning a degree in Music Pedagogy from Texas Women’s University in Denton, where she later joined the faculty and performed concerts across the state.

Drawn by the allure of a new career, Narnie became a stewardess for American Airlines in 1946. Based first in New York City and later in Dallas, she flew on DC-3s, DC-4s, DC-6s, and Convair aircraft. Her fluency in Spanish allowed her to serve routes to both coasts and Mexico. She formed enduring friendships with fellow stewardesses, remaining an active member of the Kiwi Club of retired American Airlines flight attendants and composing the official Kiwi Song in 1978, which she performed at their national convention.

While living in Dallas, Narnie met Paul A. Roll, a former Army Air Corps cadet who shared her passion for aviation. They married on July 29, 1950, in a garden wedding in Dallas and honeymooned in Acapulco. The couple made their home in Dallas and Houston, where their three children, Lisa, Kevin, and Lori, were born. They later moved to Tulsa and then to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1973. Narnie continued to share her love of music by teaching her children piano, composing original pieces, and performing in the Piano Study Club. She also served as an American Airlines sales representative, presenting programs throughout Oklahoma, and became deeply involved in the arts community as a pianist, speaker, and advocate.

In Bartlesville, Narnie and Paul were active supporters of the Tulsa Civic Ballet, Tulsa Philharmonic, Tulsa Little Theater, Theater Bartlesville, and the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra. She served on the original advisory committee for OK Mozart, conducted the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra’s 2000 opening concert, and received the Bruce Price Cultural Award in 2022 for her commitment to arts, education, and cultural diversity. The couple were early contributors to Eldercare and instrumental in establishing Green Country Senior Living. They were recognized as a Legacy Family by the Bartlesville Community Foundation in 2015 and honored by the Bartlesville Allied Arts and Humanities Council in 2006 for their contributions to the community.

Narnie and Paul enjoyed a life enriched by travel, sharing memorable journeys with family and friends, including a QE II cruise to Europe followed by a return flight on the Concorde and an elegant trip aboard the Orient Express, where she was invited to play the piano. She passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family. Narnie was predeceased by her husband Paul Roll and her brother Vernon Woddail. She is survived by her children Lisa Roll (Rod Harwood), Kevin Roll, and Lori Roll; her grandchildren Jonathan Roll (Beth Lang), Justin Roll (Shayla Davies), Jessica Roll Sanford (Justin Sanford), and Kade Skoog (Brooke Stouffer); her sister-in-law Litha Woddail; her nephew Greig Woddail (Jan Woddail) and his family; and her cousin and namesake Narnie McCahn (Dave McCahn) and his family.