Teresa B. (Fougere) Roach Obituary
Teresa B. (Fougere) Roach, 90, of Topsfield Road, Ipswich and formerly of Stoneham, died Thursday, December 8, 2022 in her home following her brief illness. She was the loving wife of Bernard P. Roach.
Teresa was born in Medford on November 25, 1932 one of the six children of the late Joseph A. and Marcelline (LeBlanc) Fougere. She was raised in Medford, a 1951 graduate of Medford High School. Teresa met her husband, Ben, as a teenager. As she tells it, he asked her if she wanted a ride home from school. She politely declined. He persisted. She finally caved and the rest is history. They married, visiting the Desert of Maine and Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. Shortly after, they built their first home in Lexington, eventually moving to Stoneham to raise their 5 children. Summer weekends were often spent taking long, meandering drives through NH backroads in their station wagon. Along the way, they would stop to play whiffle ball while Teresa laid out a picnic of homemade fried chicken and potato salad. On summer evenings, Ben and Teresa would have their children put on their pajamas and take them to the Medford twin drive-in. When the youngest child finally went to school full time, Teresa found herself able to enjoy some personal pursuits, joining a ladies' bowling league. On special holidays, Teresa would put out ribbon candy and half-moon jellies and set up card tables for card games of "Turkey Whist" for her siblings and their spouses. Her door was always open for the holidays. When Ben retired, they moved to Florida and started playing golf. However, when the second wave of grandchildren began, they returned to New England. They knew their own children enjoyed summers camping out at Birch Point on Long Lake, ME; so this time they bought a small lakeside cottage as a gathering place for the children, creating many wonderful memories of swimming, campfires, roasting marshmallows, and sleeping in "the loft". During the last twenty years, while residing in Ipswich, Teresa became an avid crocheter of afghans, hats and scarves ~ fully outfitting her entire family and their friends with her creations. Teresa donated hundreds of her lovingly made items to charities and shelters. She would often crochet while watching television. She loved watching all the Boston sports team, as she was an avid fan of the Bruins (since the Bobby Orr days), Patriots (since they played at Schaeffer Stadium), the Celtics (since the Larry Bird days) and the Red Sox. Years later when her granddaughter, Alana, became a contestant on her favorite gameshow, "Wheel of Fortune", Teresa was beside herself. However, she was truly grateful that no grandchild ever appeared on her other favorite tv show, "Judge Judy". Teresa's children will remember her high hair-styled "french -twist", red lipstick-stained coffee mugs, and the way she made them feel that no-one was better than them. They knew better, but why burst her bubble? Her grandchildren remember her singing "I love you, a bushel and a peck…" and her common catch phrases such as "Golly", "Good enough" and "They're good as gold" usually referring to them.
Teresa always had a smile on her face, saw the best in people, and gave out lots of love and hugs. So, in the end, it's no surprise that those around her wanted to care for and be with her. She knew this and was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love.
In addition to her husband of seventy-one years she is survived by three sons, John B. Roach and his wife Joanne of Westford, Alan J. Roach of Wells, ME, Thomas F. Roach of Ipswich; two daughters, Barbara Heestand and her husband Ronald of Bedford, NH, Janice A. Bogasky and husband William of Moultonborough, NH; fifteen grandchildren and a sister, Esther Bergin of Denmark, ME. She was the sister of the late Claude and Raymond Fougere both formerly of Medford, Ethel Michalak formerly of Medford and Madeline Cutts formerly of Stoneham.
We hope Teresa finds that heaven has endless bingo (with no waits), lots of card games, and that she is welcomed by all those family members and friends who passed before her.
The family will be hosting a Celebration of Life for Teresa in the spring/summer of 2023 with all to be invited to share in this event. Arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home of Ipswich. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in her name may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 USA / [email protected].
