There was a time when nearly everyone who frequented the Old Market knew Percy Roche.
Roche, a New Zealand native, had one of the reborn market’s first shops — his British Imports opened in January 1968 at 1019 Howard St.
Roche even gets some credit for the Old Market’s name. In an Omaha World-Herald story from the late 1960s, Roche asked: “Why not give our ‘old town’ it’s old name back? Why not call it The Market?” Until then, the area had been dubbed the “old town” district.
Percival “Percy” Ronald Bourke Roche died Sept. 23 in Nelson, New Zealand. He was 88 and died after a short illness, said Nancy Quinn of Omaha. She is a longtime friend and former colleague of Roche’s wife, Valerie, who survives her husband.
Valerie Roche was a founder of the Omaha Academy of Ballet and the Omaha Civic Ballet Company and later headed the Dance Department at the then-newly created Fine Arts Department at Creighton University.
Percy Roche’s craftsmanship is still visible in the Old Market. “He was responsible for the decorative iron work in a number of the buildings,” said longtime friend Fred Schoning of Omaha. Quinn added that he also made the iron tables, chairs and other furnishings for the V. Mertz restaurant and other clients.
Roche also used his metalworking skills to fashion adaptive equipment for children at the Hattie B. Monroe Pavilion at the Meyer Children’s Rehabilitation Institute.
Roche had served as an airplane mechanic in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II. When a British plane became available for the SAC Museum, the predecessor of the Strategic Air & Space Museum, Roche raised money to buy the plane and helped restore it for the museum, Quinn said.
Funeral services for Roche were held in New Zealand.
Contact the writer:
444-1165, sue.truax@owh.com
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