John Clyde LaRoche

07/30/2007

John Clyde LaRoche, 87, of 67 Dean St. died Monday at Berkshire Medical Center. Born in Adams on Aug. 27, 1919, son of Dolphis and Anna Gamache LaRoche, he attended schools there. An Army veteran of World War II veteran, he served as an infantryman with the 36th Artillery Division in the South Pacific and Asia from Jan. 1, 1942, to June 28, 1945. Private LaRoche was to have received the Bronze Star for his meritorious action near Manila while flushing out final Japanese troop resistance. He was under fire, without benefit of protective bunkers, during "mopping up" action. He never received the medals because they apparently were "buried" in postwar bureaucracy. In 1985, on Memorial Day, Mr. LaRoche was officially recognized as a hero. He received the Bronze Star as well as other medals for his participation in the war. He was employed by General Electric Co. as a cabler for 36 years, retiring in January 1981. He was a communicant of St. Mary's Church and a member of the GE Quarter Century and Pensioners' clubs. He was a volunteer fireman with the Cheshire Fire Department and a longtime volunteer for the Cheshire Little League. He was a Boston Red Sox fan and enjoyed gardening, painting and woodworking. He and his wife, the former Agnes T. Bona, would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 30. They were married in St. Mary's Church. Besides his wife, he leaves a son, Alan B. LaRoche of Cheshire; a daughter, Carolyn M. Valenti of Dalton; a brother, Leo LaRoche of Pittsfield; and two grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- The funeral for John Clyde LaRoche, who died Monday, July 30, 2007, will be Thursday at 9:15 a.m. from DERY-CHESHIRE FUNERAL HOME, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Church celebrated by the Rev. Christopher A. Malatesta, pastor of St. Agnes' Church in Dalton. Burial will follow in Cheshire Cemetery. Calling hours will be today from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. LaRoche may be made to St. Mary of the Assumption Church, in care of Dery-Cheshire Funeral Home, P.O. Box 445, Cheshire. Mr. LaRoche also leaves his grandsons, Michael and Evan Valenti; his son-in-law, Steven M. Valenti; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by six brothers, Bernard, Donald, Jerome, Delphis, Lauren and Clement.

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