John R. Roche

Family-Placed Funeral Notice

Col. JOHN R. ROCHE, USAF, Ret. Col. John R. “Jack” Roche, USAF, Ret., 90 years old, of West Palm Beach, FL, died on Sunday, November 4, 2007 at the Good Samaritan Medical Center. Originally from Davenport, Iowa, he was a resident of the Palm Beach area since 1970. Col. Roche was a founding member of St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church and a current parishioner at St. Clare Catholic Church. He was an avid golfer; an active volunteer at numerous PGA Sanctioned Tournaments; a longtime member of the North Palm Beach Country Club and The Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, Virginia. Until recently, he had been a faithful volunteer Airport Ambassador at PBIA through the Palm Beach County Visitors Bureau. A veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, Colonel John "Packy" Roche began his military career as a pilot with the Army Air Corp in 1941. He was a pilot with the first squadron of B24s to depart from North America for the European Conflict and later joined the North African campaign with the 8th Air Force, 93rd Bomb Group. As an original member of the famed 93rd Bomb Group, Col. Roche survived being shot down twice and was awarded numerous service medals that included 2 Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross. The Distinguished Service Cross was awarded for the low level bombing run over Ploesti, Romania, arguably the toughest air battle of WWII. Late in the war, he was recruited to work on the highly secretive Manhattan Project. In 1946, he participated in the nuclear weapon tests at Bikini Atoll. During his 30-years in the Air Force, he served as a commander of numerous air bases around the world and was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon. He retired from his distinguished and highly decorated military career in 1970. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Patricia M. Roche of West Palm Beach, FL; five children, John R. Roche, Jr. and his wife Melody of Alpharetta, GA, Michael J. Roche, Sr. of Jupiter, FL, Kathleen Reilly and her husband Bill of Dunnellon, FL, Trish Mayne and her husband, Steve of Montgomery, TX, and Carrie Hullihan and her husband Tim of North Palm Beach, FL; and ten grandchildren, John R. Roche, III, Michael J. Roche, Jr. and Mark J. Roche, Will and Brian Reilly, Christopher and Stephanie Mayne, and Ryan, Ethan and Matthew Hullihan. Additional survivors include his sister, Mae Raymond of Naperville, IL; a sister-in-law, Mary McCarthy of Singer Island, FL; and numerous caring and devoted members of his extended family. The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 8, 2007 from 5:00 until 8:00 PM at Quattlebaum Funeral Home, 1201 South Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, with Na Scripture Service to be held at 7:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 PM on Friday, November 9, 2007 at St. Clare Catholic Church, North Palm Beach, FL with Rev. William D. O'Shea, Pastor, officiating. Further services and interment with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the local chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, Inc., 7305 Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410 www.purpleheartfoundation.org This Congressionally charted veterans foundation provides service, welfare, and rehabilitation work to any wounded, disabled, and/or handicapped veteran and his family. Quattlebaum Funeral & Cremation ServicesFamily Owned and Operated(561) 832-5171 To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries