Francis Robert Roche, III, age 89 of Taunton, passed away on July 28, 2026 at home with his family by his side.

Born in Taunton, MA he was the son of the late Francis and Frances (Gonsalves) Roche.

Francis Robert Roche III of Taunton passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully in his home on July 28, 2026. He was 89 years of age.

Also well known as “Uncle Bob”, he was raised and educated in Taunton Public Schools. During his youth, Bob took on favored obligations within the church beginning as an altar boy at St. Anthony’s, Taunton where he and his family faithfully were members for decades. Bob was an astute learner for catholic rituals and carried out this pride through his adolescence into his adulthood once he received ordination (college years) as Third Order [Preacher] Dominican. His ideal hobby in adolescence became photography and science. Once he graduated from T.H.S. in 1955 and soon pursued his Masters Degree in Inorganic Chemistry at Providence College (1960), his passions for science launched into his early career teaching at the old Taunton High School building and Somerset school for the next eight years. Bob was known for articulating chemical components in his classroom lessons and was able to engage his students in this appreciation.

This short-lived career teaching chemistry was interrupted (but not forgotten). In the early 1960s during summer breaks from teaching, Bob was introduced to James Winter of Mansfield who owned a pipe organ company. While transitioning out of college, he apprenticed with Mr. Winter and was inspired to become acquainted with the trade, starting as pipe organ repair tech for an organ at the former Sacred Heart Church (Taunton) to assist his sister Joana [Roche] Alden (Organist). Gradually, this endeavor led to the construction of his first instrument in 1967. Bob (by his own encouraging efforts) opened his own organ company in 1968, hired a team and let this grow as a corporation in Weir Village. His passions created a sensibility to build [new], rebuild and restore instruments throughout the Southeastern Mass region, and over the next 3 decades 35 more parish organs were successfully built. As one of the founders of the Organ Historical Society, dedicated member of American Institute of Organ Builder, and Southeastern Mass American Guild of Organists, he gave himself plenty to occupy and be proud.

In his spare time, (adulthood) Bob would be found entertaining his time as Director of a Franklin chorus, singing in the choir at Sacred Heart, barber shop quartet baritone, attending local opera performances and in retirement Portuguese (his heritage) Fado singing. When he decided to retire from organ building in 2004, his life took on a new chapter by settling down at his summer home “the Villa” in Terceira Island (Azores) where his parents’ birthplace was located.

He will certainly be remembered for his skills and talents in gardening, cooking hotdogs and beans, attending family events

Robert is survived by his sister Joanna Alden, nieces; Kathryn Rousseau and husband Gary, Margaret Alden- Roderick and husband Daryn, godson; Michael Shaughnessy and wife Karine Silva-Shaughnessy, grandnieces; Kaitlyn Rousseau and Madison Alden. He was the brother-in-law of the late Harvey M. Alden, and the uncle of the late Christopher G. Alden of Raynham. 

Robert’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 8:30am from the Silva Funeral Home 80 Broadway (at Saint Mary’s Square) Taunton with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am at Saint Anthony Church Street, Taunton.

Interment will follow at Saint Joseph Cemetery.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026 from 4 to 7pm at the Silva Funeral Home.

Additional parking with handicap access is located on the nOrth side of the funeral home.

For expressions of sympathy, to sign an online guestbook, to plant a tree in his memory or to light a memorial candle, visit www.silvafuneralhome.com.