Jo Ann Roche

Jo Ann was born on April 18, 1941, in Hartshorne, Oklahoma soon after the depression. Her family headed west to California for a better life. She was raised in Norwalk, California by her parents John and Mary Ridenour. The oldest of three children, Jo Ann, took on a lot of responsibilities in the family. She loved dancing and would dance on the Al Jarvis Show with younger brother Johnny (deceased) and helped look after her youngest brother Bruce.

Jo Ann married Pat Roche--who she met while in High School--her husband at the courthouse in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1958. They went on to have five children, Tom, Sandra, Pat (deceased), Stacey, and Jack. She was also close to Ellie Roche, the half sibling to her kids.

Jo Ann and Pat lived and worked in Southern California for several years while growing their family. During this time Jo Ann was a dental assistant for her father-in-law at his Oral Surgery practice in East Los Angeles.

Jo Ann and Pat moved with their five kids to Greeley, Colorado in 1969 as Pat was starting a job at a construction company. The brand new avocado green house at 1702 26th Avenue Court was a bustling place. Kids, bikes, friends, neighbors gathering, lots of food, animals etc. – all were welcome and there was consistently a large pot of bean soup and chili on the stove. She and Pat divorced soon after moving to Greeley. Jo Ann would take in friends who needed a place to stay, always caring and welcoming even though she couldn’t afford it. While raising her five kids, Jo Ann also worked hard outside the home as a waitress at the Red Steer, Farm Fare, the Holiday Inn, as a bartender at the Red Garter and even a stint with Dare to be Great with Glen W. Turner. Finances were always tight and all five of the kids took jobs and worked hard starting from a young age. The kids’ summers were usually spent with Grandma and Grandpa Ridenour and Bruce in Southern California as Jo Ann was working.

After her kids were raised and out of the house Jo Ann decided she wanted to move to Las Vegas and become a Blackjack dealer...so she did. She went to Blackjack dealer school and started at downtown casinos the Lady Luck, Golden Gate, Union Plaza, and finally to Treasure Island on the Las Vegas Strip. She enjoyed meeting all the people and the atmosphere and energy at the casinos.

After her retirement she enjoyed playing Keno and Poker machines, shopping on QVC and HSN—she could speed dial them up quickly to order--and spending time with her dog Root Beer, and the cats her family had dropped off or she had rescued. Her last trip to a casino was with Stacey to the new Durango in December 2023. She had so much fun and left ahead with her winnings!

Jo Ann spent much of her time traveling to Colorado, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia to spend time with her kids and grandkids. She so enjoyed taking the grandkids to toy stores and having them pick out things. She enjoyed the toys and technology as much as they did!

She traveled with her daughter Stacey to Paris with her kids Garrett and Nicholas and that was a fun adventure for her. A cruise with daughters Sandra and Stacey which was quite a trip as Jo Ann was severely claustrophobic and also got quite sick. She went to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia with her mother Mary and Stacey’s family. One of her final vacation trips was to Hawaii with her mother Mary and Stacey’s family and she had such a nice time. She wasn’t able to travel as much in her later years due to her health and being claustrophobic on planes. She did a lot of car trips to Southern California to see her mother and brother and go to the beach with Stacey’s family.

Jo Ann is survived by four of her five children, Thomas J. Roche (Faith), Sandra Roche Worman (Rick), Stacey Roche Lukens (Mel), and John Jules Roche. Jo Ann’s son Patrick “Pat” Blaine Roche (Kathy) tragically passed away in August 2000.

Grandchildren, Patrick Roche (Christy), AJ Roche, Thomas Roche (Val), Garrett Lukens, Nicholas Lukens, Raleigh Roche, Amanda Roche, Johnny Roche, Jack Roche, Dane Roche (Nina), Dillan Roche, Connor Roche, and Cole Roche.

Great grandchildren, Olivia Roche, Amelia Roche, Patrick T. Roche III, Charlotte Roche, Tenleigh Roche, Vivienne Roche, Rory Roche, Farrah Roche, Macie Roche, Josie Roche, Aiden Herzog, and Max Roche.

A brother Richard Bruce Cho Ridenour.

Jo Ann was preceded in her death by her son Patrick “Pat” Blaine Roche, grandson T.J. Roche (Thomas and Faith Roche), great grandchildren Ryan and Skyler Leach (Amanda Roche), parents Mary Ridenour, John Hunter Ridenour, her brother John Raymond Ridenour, and nephew John David Cho.

The family appreciates the support of the many caregivers who have been part of Jo Ann’s life over the past six years as well as the staff at Dr. Thomas Lambert’s office, and Mountain View Hospital.

The family requests no flowers, gifts or donations. Thank you.