Stevan Roczen

Stevan Roczen
Clinton/Utica
Stevan Roczen, 99, of the Lutheran Home in Clinton and formerly of Kossuth Ave. in Utica, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the Lutheran Home.
He was born in Fairpoint, Ohio, on June 20, 1913, a son of the late Anthony and Helena (Paczos) Roczen.
The family moved to several coal mining areas before settling in Utica in 1925. He attended Utica Free Academy where he was very active in football and track. After graduating in 1932, he started a job traveling on the road selling Regina Vacuum Cleaners and later was employed with West End Brewery and Westinghouse Electric.
He was united in marriage to Jessie Pagoda in 1938. Mrs. Roczen died on February 17, 2001. He was a member of the Hope Alliance Church in New Hartford.
In February of 1939, he started his life long career of 27 years with the Utica Police Department. He left the police department for 28 months to serve during World War II in the United States Navy and went on Shore Patrol Duty in Norfolk, VA. Upon returning from the Navy, he was promoted to Sergeant of the Motorcycle Squad of the Utica Police Dept; his next promotion to Lieutenant was well earned and respected. He retired from the Utica Police Dept. in 1966. Two years later, he was asked by Hon. Judge John Walsh to temporarily take over the pistol permit dept., a position that lasted six years. Steve was a firm believer that if one was employed by the city, they had better be living there. He along with his wife, Jessie, lived their whole lives on Kossuth Ave. in Utica.
Steve's second life was golfing, most always at Valley View; he said he was at his best in 1968 when he took 3rd place in the Mohawk Valley Tournament and 1st place in the Genesee-WIBX Open. In October of 2002, at the age of 89, he played the back nine of Valley View from the blue tees, with a score of 35, with his good friends, Eli Zogby, Neal Sergot and Vick.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, Julia Roczen, of Whitesboro; also several nieces and nephews, including Patricia Franco, of Utica, Marian Harr, Bill Roczen and Sue Roczen, all of Syracuse, Robert Pagoda, of Binghamton, Steven Roczen, of Barneveld, Nancy Roczen, of Rochester, and Stephanie Basile, of California. He was predeceased by his brothers, Ed, Kaz, Al and Iggy.
Funeral services will be held on Monday at 12:30 PM at the Dimbleby, Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral Home, 13 Oxford Rd., New Hartford. Interment will be in Forest Hill Cemetery. Family and friends are invited to call prior to the service on Monday from 11:00 to 12:30 PM.
For online expressions of sympathy, please go to: www.dfwefh.com