San Joaquin-Sacramento County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Roche, William S.  May 1, 2005
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Vickie Stone VctrStV4U@aol.com May 4, 2005, 11:26 pm

Lodi News-Sentinel  May 4, 2005
William S. Roche

  William S. Roche, a resident of Galt and Lodi, died peacefully Sunday, May 1, 
2005, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's. He held out against the odds 
in his final night, to die moments after his wife arrived to see him. He was 85 
years old. 
  Born on October 26, 1919 in Early, Iowa. He was baptized as a child, and then 
later confirmed in the Lutheran Church. He graduated from Nemaha High School in 
1937 and attended Buena Vista College. He graduated from Iowa State University 
in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.
  He entered the military in 1942 and received the Bronze Star while serving in 
Merrill's Marauders--which would later become th e famed Army Rangers. He was 
honorably discharged after four years with the rank of captain.
  After returning home he maried Joyce Kischer in 1946. He worked as a fieldman 
for the Corn Belt Farm Dailies, and a county youth extension director in Iowa 
for several years. From 1950 to 1954 he owned an Angus herd at Albert City, 
Iowa and was Secretary of the Northwest Iowa Angus Association. In 1954, he 
accepted a position that would change his life. He moved to California to 
become a field man for the American Aberdeen Argus Breeders Association.
  He was a true gentleman, who enjoyed the cattle business, his famly and 
painting.
  He spent the next thirty two years as the West Coast Regional Manager and 
later the Western Director of Regional Managers with the American Angus 
Association, a position in which he garnered accolades and respect for his 
quiet professionalism and dignity. He had a colorful career, working with movie 
stars, business moguls, and even President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1966, he 
appeared in and was technical advisor on a movie shot at the Goldwyn Studios in 
Southern California. He would also frequently guest lecture at universities in 
California, and travel worldwide to promote and represent the Association and 
the Angus breed. In addition, he was instrumental in organizing the Western 
States Angus Association and was particularly proud of his "pet" project, the 
Western National Angus Futurity. In an article written about him in 1985, it 
was said that "he was the first caliber, a statesman within the field of 
fieldmen." In 2001, the American Angus Association inducted him into the Angus 
Heritage Foundation, which honors and identifies distinguished persons who have 
made major contributions to the improvement and advancement of Angus in the 
United States. Anyone who knew him in business as in his everyday personal life 
admired him as a man who was honest, trustworthy, and of the utmost integrity.
  In 1973, Bill and Joyce moved to the ranch in Galt, where he retired in 1986, 
but continued to consult and enjoy traveling and painting. He commented often 
on how grateful he was to have the privilege of seeing his grandchildren enter 
into adulthood, and how proud he was of his family. He maintaned his Angus herd 
until 1999, after which he leased his pasture to neighboring breeders. Today, 
Cattle still graze his pasture.
  He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joyce Roche of Galt, his daughter, 
Kris Roche of Daavis; his son, Steve Roche and wife Janet of Davis; and his two 
beloved grandchildren, Joelle Roche, a senior at US Berkeley and Jacob Roche, a 
sophomore at US Davis. e is further survivbed by his two sisters, Miriam Dokken 
of Nebraska and Avis Reid of Kansas, and many cousins in the Midwest area.
  He was prededed in death by his parents, Bill and Ella Roche of Nemaha, Iowa 
and his brother Cecil.
  A memorial service will be held at Sepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 604 
E. Street, Galt, CA on Friday, May 6th at 11:00 a.m., where he had been a 
member since 1979,  had served two terms as president and was a member on 
several committees.
  A reception will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests 
that memorial gifts be sent to the church or to the Alzheimer's Association. 
Ben Salas Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.


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