On Oct. 29, the Board of Directors of Lunenburg Health Service, Inc. formally acknowledged its indebtedness to William L. “Larry” Roach, Jr. for his service and dedication to the mission of the Health Service. Roach was elected to the Board in 2008 and served as President from 2015 to 2018. He passed away Oct. 3, 2018.

Roach was a graduate of Victoria High School, Virginia Tech, and the School of Hospital Administration of the Medical College of Virginia. He was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy Medical Service Corps in 1970 and subsequently held positions in health care administration, personnel and medical planning and instruction. His naval career included tours of duty in naval hospitals in Portsmouth, San Diego, California and Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. His final tour was as Commanding Officer at Field Medical Service School, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

In 2001, after 28 years of service to his country, Roach retired as a Captain and returned to live in Victoria where he continued to use his expertise as a hospital administrator in his role on the Health Service Board, serving on the personnel and finance committees. His service to the local community also involved a seat on the Centra Southside Community Hospital Board of Directors.

Janet Watson, who has served as the Health Service secretary for over 20 years, shared the following comments on his passing: “Larry was a devoted and dedicated member of the Board. He rarely missed a meeting, and when he served as president, I always knew he was only a phone call away if I needed him. Larry was easy to talk to and provided guidance when any issues arose. He was a friend to Deborah Craven, our nurse, and to me, always remembering the special days in our lives – our birthdays, milestone anniversaries and Christmas. He will truly be missed by all who knew him.”