Harding Roche ’18

"HARDING ROCHE, avid tennis and squash player, dies at 94." Thus read the headline in the Feb. 13, 1992, edition of the SHORT HILLS (N.J.) ITEM. One suspects that Harding would have strongly approved of the reference to his athletic interests. They began early in his long and full life; he was captain of the crew in our senior year. And he continued his racquetrelated sports until ten years ago, playing mostly at the Short Hills Club, where he had obtained status as an honorary member.

Harding was married in 1923 to his beloved Elizabeth, and the newlyweds moved into a new house built for them by his father as a wedding present. Remarkably, Harding died in that same house. His daughter, Frances Roche Brown, was married in the house on Sept. 24, 1949, the very same day Jarvis Cromwell's daughter Patsy was married. Frances welt remembers, for her husband's family lived near the Cromwells in the MorristownNew Vernon area, and thus there was quite an overlap in the two guest lists.

After service in the Navy in "The Great War," Harding worked for nearly 50 years for the Mobil Oil Co. His wife predeceased him, and he is survived by two daughters, Frances and Judith Thiers; seven grandchildren; and one greatgranddaughter. We shall miss this most loyal son of Nassau, and we send condolences to his family.

The Class of 1928