Obituary of Henry Joseph Roach
Henry Roach passed away peacefully at home on Friday, December 13th, 2024, at the age of 94 with his wife of 71 years, Thelma and son Danny by his side.
Henry was a proud Acadian, born in the francophone community of Cheticamp, Nova Scotia on September 28th, 1930, into the large family of Delphin Roach and Nancy (nee Bourgeois). Henry began his working life in a lumber camp and then decided to travel to Ottawa to join a friend who was working there. He arrived with only a few dollars in his pocket after the long train journey, but settled into life in his new hometown. There he worked his way up through a series of jobs that led him to his main career with the Canadian Government in the Department of External Affairs. In his early days in Ottawa he met and married Thelma McIntosh of Lanark County, Ontario, with whom he was to have four children. Henry was a “Communicator” which entailed being a teletype operator and coder/decoder of messages. The family benefited by living abroad on his postings to Switzerland, England, the USSR, and visiting him on his posting in the Ivory Coast. He also worked for shorter periods in other countries, including several weeks in Prague immediately after the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Henry also enjoyed his stints as a diplomatic courier for the Department, which saw him take dozens of whirlwind trips around the world.
Henry always enjoyed the outdoors and in particular the rustic country property he and Thelma named “Birchmount” in Lanark County. There he enjoyed cutting wood, maintaining the old log house, maintaining trails through the forest, making maple syrup and cross-country skiing with family and friends. Henry was also an avid bridge player, playing at the RA Club in Ottawa and other bridge clubs. In retirement, he and Thelma drove to Cape Breton each summer, visiting relatives and picking bushels of blueberries for Thelma’s winter baking; they also drove across North America a few times visiting family and friends and flights to visit their sons in Switzerland and Cayman Islands.
Between postings, and after retirement, Henry and Thelma lived in the Ottawa area, including several years in Metcalfe, over 40 years in Greely and 6 years in an apartment in the Atriums in Ottawa South. In 2023, they moved to Carolina Residence in Perth, Ontario. Henry enjoyed life there and the great care and support provided in his final weeks.
Henry is survived by his wife, Thelma Jeanette (nee McIntosh); his four children: Barbara Brunton (Keith Johnstone), Arthur Roach (Jennifer Underhill), Daniel Roach (Julie Blais) and Janetta Roach; five grandchildren: Elizabeth Roach (Gianluca Berchicci), Claire Roach (Hashem Alsaadi), Wyatt Zaorski (Tess Zaorski), Brandt Kivela and Calla Schultz; and three great grandchildren: Giulia and Tommaso Berchicci, and Danny Alsaadi.
Henry is survived by two sisters: Marie Yvonne McNeil (Jim McNeil) and Beatrice Poirier and predeceased by brothers Joseph, Paul, Simon, Thomas, Arthur, Dominique and Charlie and sisters Elizabeth Odo, Marie Cecile Desveau, Theresa McIntosh, Luce Antoinette Leblanc.
The services will be held the Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore St. W., Perth on Wednesday, December 18th, 2024. Viewing will be from 9:00 to 9:45 A.M., Funeral Service at 10 A.M. followed by refreshments, then interment will take place in White Cemetery, Poland, Ontario. Donations to Alzheimer Society of Lanark Leeds Grenville or Canadian Red Cross in lieu of flowers, please.
