Jean C. (Lehne) Roché

Jean C. Roche died peacefully on August 17, 2024, at Joe Raso Hospice in New City, NY. Jean was born in College Point, NY on February 25, 1935, to William G. Lehne and Margaret DeOdene Lehne. She was the middle child of three children, with her elder brother William G. Lehne II, born in 1931 and younger sister Margaret (Peggy) Lehne Dissler, born in 1939. The Lehne family grew up in Astoria Queens, where Jean attended the local grammar school and William Cullen Bryant High School. At twelve years old, Jean met her best and lifelong friend Rosemarie Farr DePhillips.

After high school she went to work in Manhattan for the American Oil Co. in the legal department where she met her future husband, Robert Roché. It was love at first sight for Bob. He was dared by a colleague to ask Jean out and to everyone’s surprise she accepted. They were married on September 13, 1958, and had their first of three daughters, Ellen, in August of 1959. Lorraine soon followed in July of 1960 and Roberta was born in March 1963. The couple lived in Hartford, Bridgeport, and Milford, CT from their marriage until 1970 when Bob accepted an offer from Royal Litton Typewriters and the couple moved to Ramsey, NJ. Jean was happy to stay at home while their daughters were young but went back to work part-time in 1972 as a legal secretary for Ohnegian, MacDonald and Whittaker Esqs’. in Ramsey. She also had part-time employment at Western Union in Mahwah and Tech Marketing in Midland Park. Volunteering at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ was something that Jean loved and cherished.

Jean and Bob were very active in St Paul’s parish, Bob as cantor and Jean as part-time secretary for the CCD program, Eucharistic minister, member of the Rosary Society and Cornerstone coordinator. Jean could light up a room with her smile and open disposition. People easily gravitated to her. She loved to play cards and bingo and was full of stories and anticks. Sadly in 1989 their daughter Lorraine passed away. Following the marriages of Ellen and Roberta also in 1989, Bob and Jean moved to Charlotte, NC and started their own distribution company for the clutches and brakes industry. When Bob retired in 1998 the couple moved to Williamsburg, VA and both became active at St Olaf’s parish. At St Olaf’s, Jean continued as a Eucharistic Minister, sacristan and used her exemplary crochet and knitting skills to made newborn baby items for unwed mothers in the community.

Bob and Jean moved back to NY in 2015, so they could be close to their daughters and three grandchildren, Peter, Kate and Tommy. Jean was pre-deceased by Bob on Nov 1, 2023. Sadly, Jean will not get to meet her expectant great granddaughter by Peter and Riana Flannery due this September and her great grandson by Kate and Kristan Echavarria due in November. Yet, her tenacious spirit lives on through them.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 10 AM at St. Paul RC Church in Ramsey, NJ. Interment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to the Sisters of Life https://sistersoflife.org/donate/

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