John A. Roche, of Westport Island, Maine, and Milton, died Jan. 3.
Born in Cambridge on June 17, 1934, he was the son of Arthur J. Roche and Evelyn A.(Hanley) Roche.
Mr. Roche graduated from Newton High School in 1952 and Newman Prep in 1953. He served with the Coast Guard as an electrician in the construction detachment in the Pacific for three years and served aboard the Coast Guard cutter, Duane, for a year.
After the service, he received a degree in civil engineering from Wentworth Institute in Boston.
He was employed by Coffin & Richardson as a senior designer, assistant project engineer and resident engineer. Mr. Roche worked in the field conducting site surveys, and designing layout for underground piping for sewer treatment plants’ pumping stations in many New England communities. He especially enjoyed the work he did in Corinna, Hartland and Jay, Maine.
He was also employed in the underground divisions of Badger and Raytheon Engineers and Constructors.
On Nov. 22, 1969, Mr. Roche married Maureen F. Owens. They met in the lift line at Attitash. They resided in Milton and Westport Island for 40 years.
The Roches spent their time together doing many things they loved, including skiing, gardening, snow maintenance and waterfront management. Mr. Roche was always eager to begin the spring ritual of lawn mowing and he took pride in home improvements that kept with the character of his Westport Island home.
He always set aside his chores to gunk-hole along the shores of Downeast Maine aboard his sailboat, the Koralei. He was a member of the New England Water Works Association.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his brother, Arthur J. Roche Jr. and his wife, Margaret, of San Diego; two sisters, Anne Shea Pearson, of Westport Island, and Evelyn Grace Manning and her husband, John J. Manning, of Waldoboro, Maine; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was the brother of the late Charles L. Roche and William F. Roche.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Jan. 7 in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Newcastle, Maine. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in the spring.
Donations may be made The Human Resources Committee, 6 Fowles Point Road, Westport Island, ME 04578; The Westport Island Volunteer Fire Department, 6 Fowles Point Road, Westport Island, ME 04578; or The Beacon Hospice, 54 Atlantic Place, South Portland, ME 04101.