John Herbert "Jack" LaRoque Sr., 70, of Chester, died of respiratory failure Jan. 15 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after a lengthy illness.

Mr. LaRoque was born in Baltimore on March 3, 1936, and spent his early childhood in Arnold on the Magothy River. While serving in the Army he was stationed in Texas and Germany and was honorably discharged in 1964.

In 1961 he married Ethel E. Schekells who died Dec. 11, 1998.

Mr. LaRoque began working for Anne Arundel Community College when it opened in Arnold, retiring in the late 1980s. He and his wife had lived for 26 years in the historic two-story white house on the college grounds. The house was part of a farm that was on the site before the college was built. He served as the grounds supervisor, shipping and receiving clerk and guard during his tenure.

He was a lifetime member of the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Department and an active member of the Church of God in Chester.

Surviving are two sons, John H. LaRoque Jr. of Chester and Gene LaRoque of Denton, and one grandson.

Visitation is from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday followed by services at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Burial will be in Druid Ridge Cemetery in Baltimore. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 547, 161 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146, or the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department, 605 Main St., Stevensville, MD 21666. See www.barrancofuneralhome.com for online condolences.

As published on 1/17/2007 in The Capital Newspaper, Annapolis, MD