Joseph Roche Sr.

Joseph P. Roche Sr. CHESAPEAKE - Joseph Patrick Roche Sr., 80, died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in a Norfolk hospital. A native of Bronx, N.Y., he was a retired electrician at NORSHIPCO. Joseph was an elder at Bible Believers Church, Chesapeake. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 684, a past delegate of Greater Tidewater Central Labor Council, a scoutmaster for more than 30 years for Boy Scout Troop No. 221 and received the George Meany Award for Scouting, a member of Portsmouth Masonic Lodge No. 100, and a captain of Station 9 for the Chesapeake Volunteer Fire Department. Survivors include his wife, Musa Eure Roche; a daughter, Genevieve Kay Sessions and husband William; two sons, Joseph Patrick Roche Jr. and wife Ann and Kenneth Edward Roche and wife Kim; two sisters, Mary Reynolds and Kathleen Fuchs; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a brother, John Roche. The family would like to express their appreciation to his family care physician, Dr. Thomas Meuser and to Dr. Montejo, Brandy Dantonio and their entire nursing staff of Lake Taylor Transitional Hospital for their kind and loving care. A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by Pastor David Eidson. Burial will be in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. www.SturtevantFuneralHome.com.