2 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁J ake ▁Rol la ▁had ▁moved ▁to ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁nearly ▁fifty - year ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Texas ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Railway . ▁He ▁proposed ▁to ▁her ▁during ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁tri ps ▁back ▁home ▁from ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁where ▁the ▁couple ▁were ▁actually ▁wed . ▁The ▁Roll as ▁built ▁a ▁house ▁on ▁C otte y ▁Street , ▁later ▁moving ▁to ▁a ▁house ▁on ▁R ame y ▁Street ▁where ▁they ▁spent ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁dec ades ▁of ▁their ▁marriage . ▁The ▁Roll as ▁had ▁no ▁bi ological ▁children , ▁but ▁took ▁in ▁need y ▁people ▁of ▁all ▁races : ▁" d rug ▁add ict s , ▁refuge es , ▁ab used ▁children , ▁or ph ans , ▁alco hol ics ▁and ▁dr if ters , ▁all ▁of ▁whom ▁called ▁her ▁mother ." ▁ ▁Rol la ▁was ▁a ▁long time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Community ▁Christian ▁Church ▁in ▁Fort ▁W orth . ▁She ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁T arr ant ▁County ▁Historical ▁Commission , ▁the ▁Col ored ▁Feder ated ▁Women ' s ▁Club , ▁American ▁Wood men , ▁and ▁Hero ines ▁of ▁Jer ich o . ▁Rol la ▁helped ▁found ▁the ▁Fort ▁W orth ▁Urban ▁League . ▁ ▁Len ora ▁Rol la ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁having ▁a ▁" raz or - sharp ▁intelligence , ▁keen ▁sense ▁of ▁humor ▁and ▁courage ▁to ▁speak ▁out ." ▁She ▁died ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2