Ginny Roos took her life at a very young age; she was probably in her 30ties. Ginny was
married and attended First Presbyterian Church with me in University City hills. (Submitted by
Mary Weber)
Virginia "Ginny" Roos
Carl Dennis, our most honored and esteemed classmate with the Pulitzer
Prize in Poetry, wrote this poem which incredibly was in the only issue
of the magazine 'Poetry" I ever picked up. When I read it I knew exactly whom he was writing
about, namely Virginia Roos. We emailed back several times discussing the impact on her
suicide had on him and that of Steve Schneider had on me. (Submitted by Stan Roodman)

'The Next Life' by Carl Dennis POETRY, March 2003

The Next Life
If a few more lives are allowed me,
I'd like to give at least one to moving you
From the category of girl whose company I enjoyed
More than the company of others in high school
To the category of heart's companion.

Then I'll be the first person you turn to
When a wave of gloom breaks over you
Like the one that proved too heavy for you to bear.
A gloom I have to suppose on my own
Since only the bare facts reached me, thirdhand,
From a classmate's sister, and almost a year
After you took your life, and you just thirty,
Married, teaching in high school
Just as you'd planned on doing long before.