Behind the portrait: BJACH honors artist who preserved its namesake
Photo By Jean Graves |
Lt. Col. Amber Smith, chief of logistics at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital,......read moreread more
Photo By Jean Graves | Lt. Col. Amber Smith, chief of logistics at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital, speaks about Spc. Alicia Hansen, a medical logistics specialist, ahead of Hansen’s promotion to corporal, Feb. 5, at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The portrait of Brig. Gen. Stanhope Bayne-Jones is displayed behind them. see less
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Behind the portrait: BJACH honors artist who preserved its namesake
FORT POLK, La. — A portrait of Brig. Gen. Stanhope Bayne-Jones has hung quietly for decades at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital, its presence familiar to generations of Soldiers, Families and staff who have walked the hospital halls.
But behind the steady gaze of the Army physician is another story — one of artistry, service, faith and community connection — told through the life of the woman who painted it.
Margo Roll, a DeRidder artist and military spouse, painted the portrait in 1983. This week, she passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind a rich legacy preserved in the signature that rests in the corner of the canvas.
The connection between Roll and BJACH came back into focus after Dawn Dunbar, healthcare risk manager with BJACH’s Quality Management Division, recognized Roll’s name and realized the artist’s work had become a permanent part of the hospital’s history.
“I just knew there was a story here,” Dunbar said. She reached out to the family and discovered a wonderful story that also needs to be preserved.
Marguerite Wood, Roll’s daughter, said her mother’s artistic gift and devotion to others shaped her life for decades.
“She loved people, she loved her church, and she loved her art,” Wood said. “And she always wanted to use her gifts for something meaningful.”
Wood spoke alongside her sister, Lisa Stickler, who helped care for their mother in recent years.
During a visit to Roll’s home, the family shared paintings, photographs and a scrapbook filled with yellowing newspaper clippings documenting Roll’s lifelong involvement in the local community.
Roll was born Sept. 10, 1931, in Rockaway, New York. She later moved to Louisiana with her husband, retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Ernest R. Roll, who served as an Army Criminal Investigation Division special investigator.
Their family lived across the United States and abroad before settling in DeRidder, where Roll built a reputation as a respected artist, teacher and custom framer.
At BJACH, Roll’s legacy extends beyond the Bayne-Jones portrait.
Additional paintings by Roll hang in the hospital, including landscape scenes depicting Louisiana’s natural beauty — quiet reminders of the region and the community that has long supported the military medical mission at Fort Polk.
Col. Patrick W. Miller, commander of BJACH, said Roll’s work represents the relationship between the hospital and the people it serves.
“BJACH exists to deliver combat ready care and ensure warfighter readiness,” Miller said. “But our mission is only possible because of the people who stand beside us — our staff, our Families, and our community partners. Mrs. Roll’s artwork reflects that bond, and her legacy will remain part of this hospital for years to come.”
Roll’s influence also reached beyond BJACH and into the surrounding community, where her work is displayed at RealArt DeRidder Arts Cooperative.
Betty White, president of the Beauregard Parish Art Guild, said Roll helped shape the organization from its earliest days.
“Her work will continue to be displayed and shared with the community as an inspiration to others,” White said.
Wood said her mother’s connection to BJACH was a point of pride for their family.
“She didn’t talk much about recognition,” Wood said. “But she cared about leaving something behind that mattered — something that would still be here long after she was gone.”
The portrait of Bayne-Jones remains in place, serving as a reminder of the hospital’s namesake and the mission he represented. It serves as a subtle reminder that Bayne-Jones’ legacy lives on not only through Army medicine, but through the hands of the community that has supported the hospital for generations.
The painting also stands as a tribute to Roll — a woman whose life reflected the same values of service and dedication, preserved not in stone or plaque, but in brushstrokes.
