Haverhill: Mrs. Mary E. (Nadeau) DeRoche, 98, of Haverhill, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
She was the daughter of the late Andrew and Catherine (Fitzgerald) Nadeau and was born July 30, 1921. She attended Saint James Grammar School and graduated from Saint James High School with the Class of 1939.
Mrs. DeRoche was a co-founder of the ARC of Northern Essex County, presently known as ARC of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport, and served for many years as Executive Secretary, also working as the Business Manager of Haverhill-Newburyport Human Services, Inc.
As a young mother she served as a den mother for her sons' Cub Scout Pack and later served as a resource parent for clients of ARC. She was a longtime volunteer for the Early Education Center of Saint Joseph School and served as the Office Manager until the age of 95. In 2012 she was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ARC at their Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration and was also named Woman of the Year by the YMCA Tribute to Women Program in 2013.
A proud grandparent, Mrs. DeRoche enjoyed chronicling each grandchild's success in sports and other endeavors. She was an avid reader who also enjoyed dancing, completing crossword puzzles, playing 45's, and traveling, especially enjoying her visits to Prince Edward Island. She was an enthusiastic Red Sox, Bruins and Patriots fan and proud steward of Mrs. D's Field, which she viewed every day outside of her kitchen window.
Mary is the wife of the late Joseph A. DeRoche who predeceased her in 1985. She is sadly missed and lovingly remembered by six sons, John "Jack" DeRoche and his wife Janice of Bradford, David DeRoche, Thomas DeRoche, Peter DeRoche, Gerard DeRoche, and Timothy DeRoche and his wife Jane, all of Haverhill; four daughters, Mary Emilio and her husband Alfred of Haverhill, Margaret Guilbert and her husband Patrick of Ipswich, Jane Daly of Kingfield, Maine, and Andrea Clevesy and her husband Jack of Snead's Ferry, NC; two sisters, Catherine Jameson of Haverhill and Anne Gardella of Hampton, NH, twenty-two grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her daughter Dorothy; her great-grandson, Jonathan D. DeRoche, Jr., her brothers, John Nadeau and Daniel Nadeau, and her son-in-law Jerome Daly.
Relatives and friends are invited to Mrs. DeRoche's Life Celebration to be held on Sunday, January 12, 2020 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main St., Plaistow, NH. Her funeral will begin on Monday morning, January 13, at 9:45 a.m. from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in All Saints Church, 120 Bellevue Avenue, Haverhill. Burial will follow in Saint Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Saint Vincent DePaul Society of All Saints Parish, 120 Bellevue Ave, Haverhill, MA. To send a message of condolence to the family, please visit www.brooksidechapelfh.com