Patrick Roche Obituary

Mr. Roche became a favorite of mine the very first time I met him through his daughter Mary Pat. She had married a boyhood friend of mine Tony Kulak in 1968. I then began listening to his weekly Sunday radio program in Chicago. Although I am not Irish, I have an affinity with the Irish culture . Being born on St. Patty 's Day had a great deal to do with that, as well as having best friends from high school and college with names like Madden, Cunningham, Carey and the list goes on.Growing up I also liked frigid day parades and Notre Dame football.
Playing tunes and reels sung by the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem was a ritual in my home on the 17th. Tragically, in 1969 I lost all contact with the Roche family . Though it was an all too short period ,my time and
memories of Mr . Roche are vivid and lasting.He was an unpretentious fun loving man ,little did I know then his tremendous influence and stature in the Irish dance community. I want to express my heartfelt apology and sympathy to the entire Roche family and especially, to Tony, Mary Pat and their daughter Aileen. I believe that Mr.
Roche is resting in God's sweet peace in a lea of shamrocks today and always.

Our heartfelt sympathy to you all. I can remember Pat and had a great deal of respect for him and cousin Grace. I'll bet there's a lot of Irish dancing in Heaven. God bless you all. You are in our prayers.

Our sympathy to the entire Roche Family. We have wonderful memories of being neighbors on Lockwood Ave.

Dorothy and Bonnie Basile Graham and family.

Colette, Kevin, and the Roche Family members: Our sympathies on your loss. The Chicagoland area has lost a great Irish patriarch. May God bless you and give you strength.

i remember pat and his family, comeing out to lombard to visit my grandmother,his aunt.

great times for all.

fair journey pat.

Mary, and Peggy:

Lourdes informed me this evening of your father's passing! What a wonderful life he has had. many many great accomplishments. He made our Irish eyes smile, with dance!

A short also sad note John Fleming

passed away on May 27, 2004! Please

accept our deepest condolences.

Ed Dolan, Lourdes Herzog, Kathy Fleming

To Mrs. Roche, Colette and the whole family:



To say Pat Roche was larger than life is an understatement. As a child growing up on the west side I spent a lot of time on Lockwood Ave. I literally looked up to this tall, handsome and stately man, who always had a wink and a smile for me. As an adult I would see him less frequently but the wink and the smile remained as did my respect. His family was his pride and joy and his greatest legacy. I thank him especially for Colette, his daughter, and my dear friend. My prayers and thoughts are with all the family, especially you, Mrs. Roche. May God hold all of you in the palm of His hand.

Dear Kathy,

I have just returned from being out of town and learned of your father's death. As I read the obituary I started to recall the stories that you had told me about his love and passion for Irish dancing. What a legacy he leaves behind!

Although I know this is a sad time for you and your family,the beautiful memories of your wonderful father will always be with all of you.

Please know that I am thinking and praying for you and your family.

Scott also joins me in extending our condolences.

Sincerely,

Maria Bechily

Grace and family, Please accept our condolences on the passing of Pat. He shared a wonderful gift with the people of Chicago. He loved his native land and shared it with all of us. He brought Irish dancing to Chicago and his influence is felt by the dancers of today. We were privileged to know him and consider him a family friend. God Bless him as we are sure that he will. Noreen(Ring) and Jack Ryan

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. It was a beautiful and touching trubute to a wonderful father and husband. Our famiulky has had such great memories over the years of graduation parties, christening with the Roche family. We are blessed to know all of you for some many years filled with laughter and good company.

Kevin,Joanne, and family,

Please accept our condolences on the passing of Patrick. He lived a full life and will be missed.

Bob and Jan

To The Roche Family,

What a fine tribute today has been in Pat Roche's memory. How proud he must be! I have been Blessed to know this fine family through my good friend, JoAnn. You are all such good kind people, with a great sense of laughter. A true gift to Irishman. May Our God Continue to Shine His Blessings on the Roche Family. As for me, I am just happy to call myself a Froche. A friend of the Roche Family! Love Carol and Bob Ingersoll and family

The Roche Family,

So many fond memories growing up across the alley - teaching us dancing in the yard and in the basement, saying with your background you should know the dance. Always gracious and kind to us all. Even bumping into your Dad

at a wake a few years ago, he commented he was glad I told him who I was and we had a great conversation. You are all blessed to have had him for so many wonderful years, and he was so proud of you all. I am sorry we can't be with you as we are out of town, but I am sure his Mass will be a credit to you all.

Love and prayers to you all,

Mary Helen(Rigney)McCarthy & Larry

May everyone fell the joy of life at this sorrow felt moment

Dear Roche family,



Although we only met you briefly on several occasions, but dearly love Pat Roche, Jr, our brother-in-law, we want you to know our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this difficult time.

We have heard many wonderful stories about Pat Sr and know he is in heaven starting a whole new Irish dancing school.

Love Angie, Rick, Brian & Doug

Kachi, Peggy and Mary,

I sent this tribute yesterday but did not see it in the guest book so like a determined Irishman I'm trying again. Can't tell you how thrilled I was to read the fine tribute you and your families put in the Tribune announcing the death of your Dad. Pat Roche was a name I grew up with in the circles of the Irish. My sister took dancing lessons from him and my Dad and Mom preached incessantly on how this man kept the culture of the Irish alive in Chicago. As my dad used to say... "What a great Irishman!" So what a thrill it was years later when my daughters became interested in Irish dancing and The Trinity dance school and I met the three of you and your wonderful daughters. It was then that I got to talk to the "legend" and how I used to love to watch him at the many Feises we attended together as he regaled me with his many stories and his eyes would shine brightly as he looked with pride at the accomplishments of his Granddaughters at these Feises. It was like sitting at the feet of Cicero and learning of the Roman Empire although it really was sitting at the feet of Pat Roche and learning of the Irish traditions he himself all alone established in this country not to mention his accomplishments in his Native Land. So I send my condolences to each of you and your families. But how lucky we were to be able to share his life in a small part here below and he so deservedly earns his Eternal Reward. God Bless. I wonder, Peggy , if he is not up there now telling the good Lord that He started out on the wrong foot in that dance?

To the Roche family,



May you find comfort in each other during this difficult time. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.



With deepest sympathy,

Bob and Collette Dawson

Michael and Ana Dawson

Uncle Pat you will be missed! Thank you for all the wonderful memories! Your sprit will live on through your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

To the Pat Roche family our condolences



from Dutch, Jan and family.

To the Pat Roche family our condolences. When I was a kid going to the Irish dances on St. Patrick's Day. Pat was always there and the dancing never stopped. God Rest his soul.



My wife also took dancing lessions from him as well as my sister-in-laws. What a Great Irishman and how he passed the Irish tradition to generation.



Best to all of the family he will truly be miseed.



St. Edward Paish NW side of City.

Uncle Pat,

We loved having you visit us in Co.Clare. You made us laugh with your stories of long ago in Doonaha. May you dance your way to Heaven. Our love to Grace, Mary, Kaki, Peggy, Pat, John, Kevin, Colette & Michael. From your nieces Mary, Margaret, Jacinta, nephew Tom and grandniece Jane-Marie. (Co.Clare)

Jim & Peggy Boyle

Sorry to hear about Dad. What a long and full life.

Sincerely,

Phil & Mary Saigh

St. Martha's Vineyard Days

Patrick was more to me than just my patient....he was a wonder kind man who made me laugh when I was feeling down...I loved him like my own father and I respected him for the many things he did with his life and with the lives of others. I will miss him more than words can express...I will miss his wonder family as well..they made me feel welcome in their lives also..Thank you so much for sharing Patrick with me...Fran Wolter,,his nurse...

In all my travels, I never met a man who put more stock in laughter than Pat Roche. You passed this gift on to a loving family, and your gracious wife, Grace. You gave people a lot to laugh about, a lot to think about, and more to talk about! Thank you for your gift of a well lived life--one in which you were revered and respected. Love and best wishes to Grace and the entire Roche family.

Kathleen Margolis

Your enthusiasm and zest for life will be deeply missed!

Pat Roche, Sr. was father/grandfather to a wonderful family of loving, caring people. What a terrific personal legacy! They looked up to him and how proud he must be of them.

My mother, Kathleen Coyne, saw the Irish dancers at the World Fair and declared that she wanted to become one, she did, studying with Pat Roche. It was a name I heard many times throughout my life. It was one of her great accompishments and brought her many moments of pride and enjoyment.



When my sister met her husband Pat Joyce, we found that his mother Margaret Fergus had also studied with Mr. Roche and indeed his mother and my mother had both been in the same dancing class.



I never met Mr. Roche but feel I knew him from the wonderful stories both women told about him. He gave a wonderful gift to them and to the world. I wish your family well and will say a prayer for him and for you.

Pat, you lived your life with all the best virtures and qualities that embody a true leader: courage, strength, faith, dedication to family. The world would be better if we followed your example.

On behalf of the Griffin family, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.

A wonderful dancing teacher and a great Irishman!!I think of the long and great life that he had and I just have to smile. I have such fond and wonderful memories of Pat beginning when I was 7 years old and I took my first irish step dancing lesson from Cusacks bar on Ashland and then Conleys Tap on Devon, and all the wonderful Feis's oh and my first medal, and he hugged me!! I hold my Irish Heritage very near and dear to my heart and have carried on the step dancing tradition to my daughters and now my granddaughters. Thank you! I felt very fortunate to know the whole family, that says something special about a man who teaches so many students and shares his family with them as well!! My heart is heavy today,but I smile when I think of him 'up there' dancing and organizing everyone and not letting you forget where your roots came from and be forever proud of your Irish heritage! God Bless Him and God bless all of you!!! May it comfort you to know how he touched Chicagoans in such a manner and the smiles he brought to our faces and the love of Ireland.

Slainte

Pat Moore Fluhler

Former student and teacher who still does plenty of dancing today!!

Uncle Pat,



To live life for nearly a century is remarkable....but to live your life and be part of so many other's is truly a blessing...your memories will live on forever.