Ronald E. DeRoche, known to friends and family as "Ronnie" or "Papa," entered his eternal rest on July 25, 2018, just shy of his 81st birthday. He spent the last two months of his life at the memory care community of Beau Provence in Mandeville, LA, with the loving care of Passages Hospice. His unwavering faith in God, along with the love and prayers of family who came to visit with him, gave him peace in his final days.
He was born in New Orleans, LA on August 6, 1937, to Louis DeRoche Sr. and Celina Schumacher DeRoche. Ronald, sometimes referred to as "Sleepy," spent his early childhood growing up in the Irish Channel. When his family moved to the Ninth Ward, his love and affection for the Crescent City only grew. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy having served aboard the U.S.S. Northampton. He was a member of the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) and retired as Chief, Director of Training, with 29 years of service—a passion that stayed with him well after his NOFD retirement.
Ronald married the love of his life,
Carol Foster DeRoche, on August 13, 1961. Throughout their 56-year marriage together, the couple maintained residences in New Orleans until they moved to Mandeville in 2001 for their retirement. They were members of the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mandeville. Ronald is preceded in death by his parents and two siblings: Mary Ann DeRoche and Bruce DeRoche (Dollie). He is survived by his four siblings: Louis DeRoche Sr. (Barbara), Gerald DeRoche (Evelyn), Celina Vicknair, and Gay Bourg (Roy); two children: Kathy DeRoche Ryan (Jimi) and Michael DeRoche; and four grandchildren: Lauren DeRoche (James), Lanie DeRoche, Carson Ryan and Fischer Ryan. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and numerous caretakers that he met along his road to heaven.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Ronald's life at JACOB SCHOEN & SON, 3827 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA on Friday, August 3, 2018. Visitation begins at 10:00 am and a Catholic Service will be at 12:15 pm. There will be a private family burial at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to the Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Ronald Edward De Roche, please visit our floral store.