Father William Roy Floch

Father William Roy Floch, a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Spokane, died peacefully in his sleep on December 17, 2025 after a long battle with dementia. He was born on December 1, 1949 and along with his four sisters and brother, grew up at Fields Spring State Park, located in southeast Washington, where his father, Don Floch, was the park manager. He attended grade school at Anatone Public School in Anatone, Washington. After his eighth-grade graduation, he attended Mater Cleri Seminary in Colbert, Washington. He earned a BA in Philosophy at Gonzaga University, took additional graduate level studies at Saint Thomas Seminary in Kenmore, Washington, earned an MA in Systemic Theology at the University of Toronto in Canada and earned a Masters of Applied Theology at the University of San Francisco in California. During his summers while a student, he worked for the USDA Forest Service as a fire lookout and helitack crew member on the Pomeroy District of the Umatilla National Forest, and a smokejumper at Cave Junction, Oregon. He was ordained October 29, 1977 and for the next 42 years, served as a parish priest at St. Thomas More Parish in Spokane, Sacred Heart Parish in Kettle Falls, Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Northport, St. Patrick Parish in Pasco, St. Paul's Parish in Eltopia, St. Vincent Parish in Connell, St. Joseph Parish in Trentwood, Sacred Heart Parish in Wilbur, St. Paschal Parish in Spokane, Immaculate Conception Parish in Davenport, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Harrington, and three Parishes on the Colville Indian Reservation (Our Lady of Lourdes, Sacred Heart and St. Kateri Tekawitha). He spent one year as a Spiritual Director at Bishop White Seminary in Spokane, and from 1991 to 1997, was a Unit Army Chaplin (Captain), serving with the 251th Forward Support Battalion in Ft. Hood, Texas; the 5-20th Infantry, Camp Casey, Korea; the 23rd Support Group, Camp Humphrey, Korea; and the 299th Forward Support Battalion, Schweinfurt, Germany. He was awarded the Black Cowboy Hat by the 1st Calvary while in the army. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1997 and resumed his parish priest duties in the Diocese. He retired in 2019 and lived the remainder of his life in Spokane, where he assisted parish priests in the Diocese when needed. He is preceded in death by his parents, Don and Naomi Floch, and sister Donna Jean (Dawn) Floch Saiz. He is survived by his sisters, Ann Marie, Patricia, and Judy Floch and his brother Rick Floch. His Rosary will be on Monday, December 22, at 5 p.m. at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, 1115 W. Riverside Ave., in Spokane, followed by the Funeral Mass, Tuesday, December 23 at 10 a.m. Burial will be at a later date at the Anatone Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and cards, please consider a donation to Catholic Relief Services. Over the course of his career, he presided over hundreds of Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and Masses. He was a kind and sympathetic confessor and spiritual director for his friends and parishioners. He was a loving son, looked-up-to brother and uncle, a hard-working firefighter and smoke jumper, and a wonderful Parish Priest. He is loved by many and will be greatly missed. To leave condolences for the family, please visit Father Floch's Tribute Wall.