COUNCIL #1384 - ANNAPOLIS REMEMBERS |
Richard Peter LaRochelle Chief Petty Officer U.S. Navy (Retired) 76, of Edgewater, Maryland died on September 8, 2016 at home with his family. His wife of 51 years, Mary LaRochelle passed away on December 23, 2013. He is survived by three sons, Peter LaRochelle of Key West, Florida, Michael LaRochelle and Paul LaRochelle both of Annapolis, Maryland; two daughters, Maryanne Monias of Edgewater, Maryland, and Renee Jennings of Scituate, Massachusetts; 14 grandchildren; brothers, Henry LaRochelle of Oak Island, North Carolina and Raymond LaRochelle of Livermore, California; sisters, Judith Roy of Palm Coast, Florida, and Anne Marie Nicolai of Springfield, Massachusetts. Richard was blessed with 14 grandchildren whom he adored and doted on. Born in Northbridge, Massachusetts on June 4, 1940, he was the son of Ephraim and Yvette LaRochelle. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1958 and was a 20 year veteran. He served his country on the U.S.S. Francis Marion, 1961 and U.S.S. Arneb and the U.S.S. Pocono in 1962 he traveled to the North Pole and the Antarctic. He circled the globe and crossed the equator.Mr. LaRochelle received numerous awards during his military service, among them the Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm, Antarctica Service Medal . He served as a Medical Corpsman in Vietnam at the Da Nang Naval Station Hospital from 1963 to 1968. In 1970 he began his career in Food Service at Camp Lejeune N.C. He retired from the Navy in 1978 after 10 years of Food service with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. He then became the Food Service Manager at Bethesda Naval Hospital. In 1981 he had the honor to serve his beloved Navy once again at the U.S. Naval Academy where he provided outstanding service for 25 years as Midshipman Food Service Manager. While at the Naval Academy he received the Superior Performance Award for Loyalty and Devotion to the Naval Academy Mission, Certificate of Appreciation in support of the Midshipmen class in 1985,1986, 1992. Excellence in Federal Career Award, Bronze Award for Excellence in Federal Career Department of Navy USNA, in 1991, 1993, 1995 Federal Executive Award for Outstanding Supervisor, 1995 Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Medal Recognizing his "High value and Benefit to the Navy" 2000, 2003, 2005 The Superior Performance Award for Loyalty and Devotion to the Naval Academy Mission, Certificate of Appreciation in support of the Naval Academy Midshipmen class in 1985 1986, 1992 Mr. LaRochelle was a member of St. John Neuman Catholic Church. He loved singing in the choir at church and Senior choral at AACC. He loved to tend to his Roses and was an avid Redskin and Navy football fan. Final Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery. Funeral services will be Tuesday September 13th at 9am in St John Neuman Church in Annapolis. "In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be forwarded to the United States Naval Academy Foundation, 291 Wood Road, Beach Hall, Annapolis, MD 21402." |