Edouard Rocher

Born in Grenoble, France in 1932, he was the eldest of eight children of Marguerite and Jean. In childhood, he built go-karts, sang in a Paris choir, and held the national swimming record for the butterfly stroke … for two weeks! Often seen maneuvering his bicycle through Paris, he enjoyed math, and delighted in, well, all things chocolate. During World War II, in Occupied France, he and his cousin bicycled a cart of cheese from the mountains to the annual parish festival, convincing the Nazi checkpoint to allow passage. He braved bridge tournaments across France, as his mom’s partner. After completing Centrale Engineering School in Paris, he earned a PhD in Physics from Darmstadt University, Germany. He began research on new aspects of the theory of relativity, which were published years later. In 1964, while working at IBM in the south of France, he married Françoise Kreitmann. Soon arrived their children Eric and Anne-Laure. When he read them stories, they whispered, “Why, when you make wolf voices, do your nose hairs move?”

Amid the tumult of the sixties, the family emigrated to the United States, for a 6-month assignment with IBM, which turned into 50 years of life in America. The couple learned English watching TV while hook-crocheting their favorite living room rug. At IBM’s NY research center, Edouard patented several technologies that underpin today’s Internet. He led the family in building life-long friendships, constructing a neighborhood foot bridge and home-making an electronic recital organ. He enjoyed teaching friends to win at bridge, and sang and whistled exuberantly while fixing, well, anything.

Each year, an excursion: either hosting French relatives discovering America or a Summer return to France with extended family, sailing, tennis and, of course, bridge. During America’s bicentennial, the family packed five cousins in a motorhome and crossed the US and its great National Parks. Soon afterwards, Edouard joined AT&T in NJ for research on fiber optics. The couple joined Pax Christi, for their vision of peace on Earth. Living his values on human rights, Edouard was arrested demonstrating in front of the School of the Americas.

In the 80s, off to Cape Cod, and the arrival of grandchildren, Giselle and Sydney. Grand-père crawled on all fours as the grandchildren’s horse, and weathered their beauty-salon braiding of his whitening hair. As soon as the grandchildren could wield a hammer, the trio devoted a summer to build an Optimist sailboat. Edouard taught the family sailing and windsurfing, through laughs and splashes. Steadfastly positive-minded, he modeled the serenity prayer and instilled acceptance and optimism around family challenges. Curiosity drove experiments like how low could the oil tank get before the heating failed (in February!). He served on the Residents Encounter Christ team for over 10 years, coordinated the church choir and coffee hour, and taught computer skills to women coming out of prison. Always kind and clever, Edouard passed retirement years leading Senior Center exercise classes and mastering puzzles and weekly bridge games. He helped the family “play together” over tennis, Thanksgiving Pictionary circuses, and marathon backgammons with Eric. Edouard helped with the family’s education and undertook home improvements at, well, every place they called home.

In 1995, for the 50th anniversary of D-Day liberation of France, Edouard found and invited 70 D-Day Veterans living on Cape Cod to a Gratitude luncheon for them and their families For 23 years, he and Françoise have kept this June 6th tradition alive. Every year, servicemen from across New England teared as Edouard spoke of France’s gratitude for those who risked and gave their lives on the Norman beaches to help end WWII.

In his recent years, Edouard was able to enjoy a parade of friends’ gathering on his deck, reunions in France with over 60 relatives, and two adventurous family RV trips to Maine and Texas national parks. In his final days, Edouard told his family he was at peace and felt loved.

We will miss the physical presence of Edouard/Papa/Grand-père’s gentle thoughtfulness and quiet, wise wit. And we thank him and the Universe that his caring, curious, positive spirit will keep shining in our hearts, as we preserve his stories which warm our souls, today and forever.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to two organizations which were greatly helpful to Edoaurd and the family: the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod, https://www.alzfamilysupport.org/ways-to-give or VNA Hospice, https://support.givetocapecodhealth.org/donate.

A service will be held at Our Lady of Hope, in West Barnstable, Friday, November 4th at 11:00am. To share a memory or for online condolences, please visit www.doanebealameshyannis.com/.

In loving memory of Edouard, please enjoy a walk on a Cape Cod beach or trail, or anywhere near water.