Bette Ann (Brown) Roche

On the afternoon of March 6, 2020, Golden Louis Roche went peacefully to be with our Lord. Golden "Sputs" Roche was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 28, 1934 to the late Goldman Roche and Thelma Roche. He was one of eight children and was survived by his sisters Shirley Roche, Joanne Scroggins, and Gwendolyn Franklin, and one brother, Franklin "Tommy" Roche when he passed. He was preceded in death by Rodney Roche, Selma "Dot" Jackson, and Alfa Goldie Fisher.

Sputs attended the Baltimore Public School System and graduated from Frederick Douglas High School in 1952. Shortly after graduating, Golden enlisted into the Air Force with several of his friends.

Golden returned home from the Air Force and met and dated Bette A. Brown. They married and were very happy to give birth to their four daughters: Bonita Camak, Viki Jackson, Lynn Roche, and Jennifer Demory. During the early years of their marriage  he worked various jobs. Golden worked with his brother-in-law, Jackson Glaze, at his clinical laboratory. He worked in the evenings at Precision Clinical Laboratory to supplement his income.

In 1970, Golden's best friend, Harold Richardson, better known as 'Po Po', convinced him to move his family 1000's of miles away to McGrath, Alaska to further his career in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an Air Traffic Controller.

In 1974, Golden moved his family further north to Nome, Alaska, where he became the first African-American Chief Air Traffic Controller at a Flight Service Station for the FAA. After 10 years, Golden moved back to Baltimore, Maryland, where he continued to work for the FAA until he retired in October 1989. At the age of 68, Golden worked for UPS for 13 years until 2013 when he retired for a second time.

Golden enjoyed tinkering with cars, gardening, working at the daycare and caring for the animals and up keeping the grounds at Lynn's Farm & Nature Center, Inc., Lynn's non-profit organization, which was dedicated to her dad. He loved watching 'Alaskan Reality T.V.', playing Poker with his in-laws, and outings with his grandsons. He loved going on vacations in Pennsylvania with his wife. He was well known for story telling with elaborate embellishments. Golden volunteered for his parish at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church for many years. He could be found in the soup kitchen handing out numbers to the community on most Thursdays.

He left to cherish in his memory his devoted wife of 61 years, Bette, and his daughters, Bonita, Viki, Lynn, and Jennifer; his son-in-law David and the late Raynor Jackson; four grandsons: David II, Derek, Brandon, and Christopher; three great grandchildren: Derek, Jr., Aubrey and Sydney, as well as a host of other relatives and friends.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic an intimate, family-only, Memorial Service was held on Saturday, March 21,2020 at the Church of Saint Cecilia. Honorary Pallbearers were David Camak,II, Tommy Roche, Derek Jackson, Brandon Camak, Christopher Demory, Derek Jackson, Jr., Tommy Roche, Mark Glaze, Gary Franklin, and Dana Camak.