Larry was born in Newark, NJ on January 24, 1951 to the late Andrew and Margaret (Davenport) Roche. Larry grew up in East Orange and moved to Newton Township in 1976 before settling in Hampton Township 22 years ago. Larry was a proud Army Veteran who served during the Vietnam War. Larry received his AS in Criminal Justice from Essex County Community College, his BA in Sociology from Montclair State University and his MA in Education from Seton Hall University. Prior to his retirement, Larry was a police sergeant for the City of Orange Township where he received numerous awards and citations including a commendation by the New Jersey State Senate for his role in the heroic and brave action at a local fire that saved the lives of several children trapped inside an apartment building. After his retirement, he went on to become the Substance Abuse Evaluator for the Sussex County Sheriff’s Department. Larry was a member of the PBA Local 89 and a friend of Bill W.; he was a pillar in the community and helped numerous people in their sobriety journey. He enjoyed golfing and traveling with his bride, however what he cherished most was spending time with his family. Larry had a great sense of humor, told the best stories and was an all-around loyal stand-up guy.
The beloved husband of 51 years to Kathryn (Layton) Roche, Larry is survived by his children, Regina Hannapple and her husband Eric, Shannon Lombardo and her husband Peter and Michael Roche and his wife Jessica; his grandchildren, Pietro, Antonio, Lindsey, Sophia, Larissa, Finnian and Fyonna; his siblings, Kevin Roche (Micki), Brian Roche, George Layton (Diane) and Bruce Layton (Sandy); his dear friend, Dr. May Abdo-Matkiwsky (daughter) and many loving nieces and nephews. Along with his parents, his son, Lawrence A. Roche; his daughter, Kathryn D. Roche; his grandson, James L. Smith and his brother, Andrew Roche predeceased Larry.
A memorial visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023, at Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High Street, Newton, NJ. A memorial mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 24 Halsted Street, Newton, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Make-A-Wish Foundation, 1702 East Highland Ave., Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85016 or Sparta RCCA Charities, 89 Sparta Avenue, Suite 130 Sparta, NJ 07871. Condolences can be offered online at www.smithmccrackenfuneralhome.com
