Rogers Williams Loche

Rogers Williams Loche, Sr.

Funeral Services for Rogers Williams Loche, Sr., well known resident of Collinston, LA and retired employee of the Morehouse Parish School System will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 11:00 a.m at the Morehouse Baptist Education Association Building.  Rev. Diane  Neal will officiate the services.  Mr. Loche will lie in state on Friday evening from  5:00 p.m. - 7:00 at the Mt. Sinai-Williams Temple in Collinston, LA 

For more information or to send words of condolence, flowers, or to light a memory candle, please go to www.lochesmortuaryinc.com

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                  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith.”      II Timothy 4:7

The Quiet One

July 24, 1924 was a hot humid day in rural north Louisiana.  Although the temperature was very warm, the joy experienced by Milous  Gray and Sallie Robertha Smith Loche  was  comfortably  cool.  That day was special to the couple because God blessed them with their fourth child: a boy.  To this child was given the name Rogers Williams Loche.  Life for this family would give them four more children.  On Sunday morning, December 9, 2018, Rogers Williams, with family members  gathered around his bedside, answered his Masters’ call and joined family members who stepped from this world to their heavenly home.  Joining his parents, his spouse, Dollie B., siblings:  Solomon David (lost during World War II), Callie Loche Calvin, Bertha Lorene Loche Carter, Lee Edward Loche, Leroy Loche, Milous Loche, Jr., Sallie Augustine Loche Youngblood; his eldest child, Callye Geneva Loche, and one great granddaughter, Taylor Thaxton, Rogers closed his eyes on a life well spent.

His  educational career included attending Morehouse Parish Training School through the second grade, then to Upland School through the seventh grade, and then back to Morehouse Parish Training School through the tenth grade.

In 1942 his brother, Solomon “Buddy,” sent Rogers forty five dollars to come to California. While there he worked at Moore’s shipyard. Even though his body was in Oakland, his “heart” was still in Collinston, so he returned home. On March 25, 1944 the beautiful Dollie Beatrice Tappin, the oldest child of Willie James and Georgia Wright Tappin, became the bride of Rogers Williams Loche. Now,  Rogers, Lee Roy, and Lee Edward had a mischievous habit of changing “hats,” so she often got “those Loche boys” confused.  But, she knew that Rogers was the one for her.

Rogers remained home for a while, but California beckoned him again.  He carried his wife and baby girl, Callye Geneva to the West Coast.  This time he was employed as a cook on the California Zapper Trail train, traveling  daily from Oakland to Salt Lake City, Utah. An accidental fall by his dad prompted Rogers to return to Collinston.  Dollie left her job at the Oakland Army Base and returned to Collinston.  In 1948 Rogers and Callye Geneva went back to California.  Dollie and Solomon (their second child) followed soon.

In early 1949, Rogers brought his family home to stay. He was employed on the Missouri Pacific Railroad in the Maintenance Department. They were also expecting a third addition.  On August 9, 1949, Roy Dean Loche was born.  God blessed Rogers and “Bee” six more times: Linda Jean, Diane Marie, his namesake, Rogers Williams Loche, Jr., Rachel Anise, Clifford Lavell, and the baby, Alden Dewayne.  

At an early age he joined Mt. Sinai Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, which later merged and became Mt. Sinai-Williams Temple C. M. E. Church. Always active in his church, he served as President of the Trustee and Steward Boards, Class Leader, and choir member. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, he served as President of the Old and Young Peoples Christian Union until it dissolved. He was a lifetime member of Fidelity Lodge #53. He was the founder and president of the Morehouse Central Water System and a retired bus driver for the Morehouse Parish School System. Rogers worked hard to support his family as a farmer, an electrician, and was a distributor for Avon products for many years. He also took great pride in working with his younger brother, Lee Edward in the family mortuary business, Loche's Mortuary for many years.

What started as a small gathering in his backyard  to celebrate Children’s Day on the second Sunday in June evolved into a community event that included his church family, neighbors and friends from local communities to California, Texas and other states.   Over the years the venue changed to accommodate the ever growing number of children and friends who enjoyed a day of southern food, games, and  memorial tributes. The day was also changed to Saturday so that those attending would have time to return  home. As a tribute to him, the legacy will continue as  “Daddy Rogers Day,” a reminder of the quiet, gentle man who had a kind word for everyone. If he couldn’t help you, he wouldn’t do anything to harm you.

Although his physical body is no longer with us, he leaves to cherish his kindness, his wisdom, his love, and his compassion for all; a special friend, Ola Mae Johnson; five sons: Solomon Loche, Sr. (Joyceleen), Longview, TX, Roy Dean Loche (Brenda), Rogers Loche, Jr. (Donna), Clifford Loche, Sr. (Connie), and Alden Loche (Susie) all of Collinston, LA; three daughters: Linda Loche Odom (Theabury), Bastrop, LA, Diane Givens, Houston, TX, and  Rachel Loche Lenoir (Jerrow), Lufkin, TX; one godson,  Bishop John C. Calvin III(Fannie), Los Angeles, CA. five sisters in law: Opeary Loche and Josie Loche, Bastrop, LA, Geneva Williams, Houston, TX, Eddie Tappin, Newark, New Jersey, and Veronica Tappin, Bastrop, LA; three brothers in law: Anthony Tappin (Pearl), Irvington, New Jersey, Bobby Tappin (Barbara), Houston, TX, and John Tappin, Sr. Collinston, LA; twenty-six grandchildren, forty-one great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rogers Williams Loche, please visit our floral store.