Brian Joseph Roche, age 67 years, of Raritan Township, NJ, died peacefully on Saturday, February 25, 2023, surrounded by his loving family at Hunterdon Medical Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Brian was born in Newark, NJ, on December 5, 1955, to the late Margaret Davenport Enright and Andrew Roche. He was raised in East Orange, the youngest on his three brothers Andy, Kevin, and Larry. Having been raised in a traditional Irish home, he attended Catholic school all his life and served as an altar boy. He later attended Kean College. In 1982, he married Teresa De Maio and had three daughters: Jennifer, Theresa, and Maggie; they settled in Sussex County.

He had an amazing work ethic, often working six days a week to provide for his family. He worked for UPS, Wonder Bread, and later retired from Entenmann’s Bakery after thirty years. He was often known to gift everyone around him, and often himself, with a surplus of delicious sweets.

He was a dedicated football fan to both the Giants and Notre Dame. Brian was avid reader enjoying such authors as Tom Clancy, John Jakes, and Stephen King. He loved going to the Jersey Shore with his family. He was also a prominent history buff, who was especially fascinated with the Civil War and World War II. He loved chess, was great at math (with a fondness of numbers as he called it), and especially enjoyed reading his daily paper. Brian had the gift of blarney and was a natural storyteller, often calling people lad or lassie. He was a kind man, jested with everyone he spoke with, and polite to a fault. Having the “Roche” curse, an old school toughness as some would say, he was always everyones rock. He always put family first without ever wanting anything in return. He will be specially known for the love and care that he showed to his daughters and grandchildren, Adrianna and Anthony. He called his daughters “angels” and his grandchildren “mini angels”, but he was the truly an angel. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

In addition to his parents, Brian is predeceased by his daughter, Jennifer Roche; brothers, Andrew and Lawrence Roche; and step-dad, Thomas Enright.

Surviving are daughters, Theresa Mendoza and Margaret Roche; former wife and friend, Theresa Roche; brother, Kevin and his wife, Micki; sister-in-law, Kathryn Roche; two grandchildren Adrianna and Anthony; several extended family; and many dear friends.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Sunday, March 5, 2023, from 1:00-4:00 p.m., in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Fr. John Primich will take place on Monday, March 6, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Magdalen Church, 105 Mine Street, Flemington, NJ, under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. Everyone is kindly asked to meet directly at the church on Monday morning beginning at 10:15 a.m. Please follow the instructions of Wright & Ford Family Care Team Family Ambassadors upon arrival.

You are encouraged to visit Brian’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Facial Pain Research Foundation, 2653 SW 87th Drive, Suite A, Gainesville, FL 32608 or online by clicking HERE.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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