LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Robert Roche


Oct. 31, 1932 - Aug. 23, 2022

Robert "Bob" Bruce Roche was raised in St. Francis Wood, San Francisco, where he attended St. Ignatius High School. He studied Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley and joined the Sigma Nu fraternity, where he was elected President his senior year. At Cal he competed on both the swim and water polo teams. He graduated in 1954 and married his college sweetheart Sally Floyd directly after graduation. Employed at Cal Trans as a Junior Engineer, he was drafted into the Army six months later. After the Service he moved back to the Bay Area where he was hired by Pacific Telephone Company in 1957. Starting out in the Management Training Program, he retired after 28 years as Assistant Vice President at age 52. That same year, he formed his own business, Roche Construction.

Passionate about giving back to his community, Bob volunteered in many areas including Habitat for Humanity, serving as Treasurer for the San Francisco Olympic Club (where he was a member for 81 years) and was also elected to the Lafayette City Council in 1976 and served as Mayor in 1979.

Bob died peacefully at home in Walnut Creek on Aug. 23, surrounded by love at the age of 89. He is predeceased by his wife Sally, son Robert "Corky" Jr. and grandson Robert "Bobby" III. He leaves behind his daughter Teri Roche Drobnick and husband Mike, his son David Roche and wife Nancy, daughter-in-law Aeh Roche, grandchildren Eileen, Tom, Jamie, Kai, Alzada, Casey, Sam, Anda and Millie. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sept. 11, at the Lafayette Park Hotel, 3287 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to the Alzheimer's Association or Habitat for Humanity.