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Remembering Tony
(Taken from funeral brochure)
Obituary Below
This page
was late updated on
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
 Upon
the advice of the family midwife, the late Nurse
Cecilia Cooper, mother of the late Rev. R.E.
Cooper Sr., Arthur Leon Roach Sr. took his wife
Blunetta to the maternity Ward of the Princess
Margaret Hospital, two days before her delivery
date, to ensure that the birth of their sixth
child was safe. On Sunday morning, October,
4,
1953, a rainy day on the island of New
Providence, a baby boy, was born to this lovely
couple.
“Tony” as he was
affectionately called, like most of the little
boys around Young Street and Windsor Lane,
played marbles; built and drove his box cart in
the streets; made tops from lignum vitae trees
and played “pegging”. This was one of Tony’s
favourite games and he would not stop until he
split your top in half.
Racing bicycle tire rims
(with old clothes hangers) with his friends
Snooge Ferguson and Walter Musgrove in the
streets was another of Tony’s favourite
pastimes. One Saturday night, after Sabbath
had ended, the “boys” decided to settle the
score as to who was the best racer, so “the race
was on!” Contrary to Mama’s instructions not to
race in the street at night, Tony was off with
the boys racing to Mr. Moss’ shop. Before Tony
could finish the race course, which he was
leading, the screeching sounds of car tires
could be heard up the street and Snooge and
Walter running back saying “Mrs. Roach Tony get
knock down!” Tony was rushed to the hospital
where he spent three days suffering from a
concussion. Tony did not like the hospital, and
Mama could not stay with him, so Veronica spent
three nights in hospital with him until he was
discharged.
At the age of 10, Tony moved
to Hanna Road, Fox Hill with his parents and
siblings. Because
of his effervescent personality, Tony made many
friends quickly; amongst them were Mark Hanna,
Paul and Philip Greenslade, Larry Pinder, Bruce
Pinder, Earnest “Tilly” Burrows, Dr. Arthur
Clarke to name a few. Tony and his friends
especially Mark Hanna, spent countless hours in
Malcolm Creek catching broad shads and piper
fish; this was where his love for the sea and
fishing was cultivated. Led by Mark, a group of
boys from the blocks –Tony, Larry, Paul and
Philip- took the Honourable A.D. Hanna’s boat
to sea on a fishing expedition that ended with
them being rescued by BASRA because they went
adrift after running out of fuel. That was
something through Hanna Road that day!
Tony received a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian education, at Bahamas
Academy (BA). It
was at BA that Elliston Rahming, Garth Greene,
Barrington Brennen, Perry Decosta and Tony formed a
singing group called the Kings Voices. During
the morning breaks and at lunch time, these boys
would go in the bushes to the East of BA and
practice. Soon, the Kings Voices were good
enough to take their melodious voices from the
bushes to audiences who loved their singing. In
fact they held a grand concert at THE Government
High School (GHS) Auditorium, with a repertoire that
included amongst others a rendition of “A Frog
Went Walking on A Summer’s Day.”
Tony whose nickname had
become “Lil Roach” because he was so short, was
the quintessential athlete, playing volleyball,
softball, running track and most of all soccer,
and was always the first pick for any team.
During one soccer game, in which Isaac Daffinuis
was team captain, “Lil Roach” played so hard,
until he split the seat of his soccer pants.
Determine to win that match, he played with such
tenacity, not caring that his pants had become a
skirt and that he was being teased - and won the
game his team did! A member of the Dynamos
Soccer Team for a number of years, Tony played
under the coaching of Philip Worrell who later
became his mentor in the insurance business.
Tony was taught the trade of
carpentry by his father Leon Roach whom he
accompanied as a helper to various jobs. By the
time Tony was 14 years old, he was able to hold
down summer jobs with V. G. Collie as a
carpenter helper. One summer Tony earned a
whopping pay check of $200.00 in one week (lots
of money in 1970) by working overtime; that
money he put towards school fees at BA.
In 1971, Tony went to West
Indies College, High School, Jamaica, to finish
the 12th grade before transiting to
College. Upon graduating in 1972, Tony returned
to Nassau, then went to Grand Bahama to find
work and was employed with the Bahamas Oil
Refinery Company (BORCO) as a general worker.
Tony lived with his sister Leona and worked at
BORCO for almost a year, saving his money to
enter Union College Lincoln, Nebraska, in
1973. At Union College, Tony majored in Mass
Communication, graduating in 1977 with a
Bachelor of Arts degree. He was also a member
of the College Choir.
 After
graduating from college, Tony was employed as a
Physical Education teacher at Government High
School and was widely known as “Coach Roach”.
Determined to bring class and business style to
coaching, Tony would be dressed to the nines in
a suit as he coached the GHS Magic basketball
team during interschool competitions,
championship games and the Hugh Campbell Games.
Although he coached students, Tony still found
time to play on soccer and volley ball teams in
the various leagues. Tony was selected to play
on the Bahamas National Volley Ball and Soccer
Teams on a number of occasions; serving at times
as a player coach.
In the winter of 1984 he won
the heart of Carla McIntosh, whom he courted
with his usual aplomb. It was a whirlwind
romance and after dating for a short six months,
he made the decision to take her as his bride.
Tony & Carla were wed August 5, 1985.
Using the trade taught him by
his father; Tony lay out and built his family
home in Hanna Road, with his own hands. His
father assisted him with the roof and he
utilized the aid of one other helper. He laid
the tiles and the wooden flooring himself and
many nights the neighbourhood had to endure the
banging as he completed the ceiling. Tony the
Contractor!
An enthused expectant father,
Tony was very attentive and would sing and read
to the new baby in womb. He would constantly
touch the belly and was fascinated by the
movements. He embraced fatherhood with much
pride, and insisted he be in the delivery room
for the birth of his firstborn, Alcott Leon. So
smitten was he with baby Alcott, that he would
pack him up in his straw basinet and carry him
to work at Government High School with him. On
occasion, the staff would call his wife and
report:
“Mrs. Roach do you know Tony
has this new baby up here ‘round these
children?” or “Tony scald the baby mouth with
the hot milk”.
It was after the birth of baby
no. 2, Toni Alexia, the very next year, that the
seriousness of the responsibility of fatherhood
hit home.
With very swift consideration
of cost vs. income, he tendered his resignation
as a teacher with GHS and entered into the
insurance arena. He won many accolades as top
producer at ManuLife. Tony was a natural
salesman. His aggressive and charming
personality was a winning combination. He once
told Pastor Paul Scavella “I could sell ice to
the Eskimos”. Indeed he could.
Despite his success as an
insurance salesman and broker, Tony’s
entrepreneurial spirit, along with his
determination to provide the best for his
family, led him to explore other avenues of
earning an income.
There are many hair-raising
stories of his exploitations as a fishing boat
owner, where he
himself was the captain, without any formal
training or practical experience in manning a
fishing vessel. Miracles abounded and he was
able to escape that venture with limb and life
intact.
It took a year to recover and
although he was down he was not out. Tony got
back on his feet and became the dealer of Shell
East Bay Service Station. After much
challenges, he walked away from this business
and started the family business of A.L. Cleaning
Company. This time, he got the requisite
professional training in all aspects of the
business. He ensured his sons Alcott and
Anthony Jr. were a part of the business and
taught them everything he knew. He demanded
high work ethics and hard work and made men out
of boys. His greatest lesson:” I can do all
things through Christ…” – NEVER GIVE UP.
Tony loved politics. He was
unabashedly a PLP. He loved talking politics,
campaigning and attending rallies. During the
political “season”, he was constantly on the
phone with his cohorts and he thoroughly enjoyed
engaging his children in conversation on the
pertinent issues of the day. He never tired of
making the rounds of the rallies with wife Carla
and sisters Annette and Ingrid. He would often
call Leona in Freeport to give a report and
garner feedback from her side.
Family was of utmost
importance to Tony. He determined to raise his
children, as he had been reared, in the
admonition of Christ. Those qualities instilled
in him by his parents, he brought into his home
and passed on to his wife and children. Alcott,
Alexia and Anthony looked forward to Friday
evening worship, where they observed the
consistency of a father leading out in worship:
Lustful singing, reciting of memory verses and
discussing scripture. Tony would ensure singing
was done in parts as he conducted his little
family choir. The home was filled with music as
he awoke the home to Christian music every
Sabbath morning. On other days, there was
classical, operatic and secular music – but
ALWAYS there was music. He loved to take the
family out to eat, to cultural affairs, dog
shows, fishing and travelling. He would often
invite other family members along and so ensured
a bond was maintained.
Tony settled his family for
worship at the Philadelphia Seventh-day
Adventist Church. He held positions including
first elder, choir director, Men’s Leader, and
Family Ministries Leader. He has a great concern for
the youth and used his natural abilities in
education, athletics, music and sales to help
with Church ministry. It was after hearing the
Philadelphia Male Choral, that Pastor Paul
invited him to form and lead out in the
Conference Adventist Men’s Choral, which he did
up to this year. He never expected or wanted
accolades for his work or his giving. That was
between “my wife and I and God”. He simply did
as Christ admonished, to be his brothers’
keeper.
In March 2010 he had his
first surgery to remove the offensive colon
cancer. Despite all best efforts, it was
discovered the cancer metastasized in 2012. It
was pronounced that he was at stage four. Tony
fought valiantly but lost the battle at 8 p.m.,
on a rainy Wednesday evening, November 27,
2013. He was alone at the time with his devoted
wife Carla. He was in no pain. He simply
breathed his last breath and went to sleep.
Tony loved the Lord. He prayed constantly for
his healing and even if God chose not to restore
his body on this earth, he trusted without
question that God’s Will be done. Tony accepted
Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour into
baptism on March 24, 1987 – we therefore have a
hope of reuniting with our husband, father,
brother, uncle, friend.
Obituary
[From
the Nassau Guardian]
He is predeceased by his parents Arthur Leon
Roach, Sr., and Blunetta Roach and his brother
Arthur Leon Roach, Jr.
Left to cherish his memories are:
Wife:
Carla Roach;
Children:
Alcott Leon, Toni Alexia and Anthony Livingstone
Roach, Jr.;
Grandchildren:
Angel Alenae & Alandra Carla Roach;
"Mum"
Rosebud McIntosh
Grandmother:
Nora "Mama T" Turnquest;
Sisters:
Clara McPhee, Veronica McGee, Leona Roach,
Annette Dorsett & Adelma Roach;
Brothers-in-law:
Joe McGee, Ward Olgreen, Foster Dorsett, Sr.,
Alcott McIntosh, Jr.;
Sisters-in-law:
Terry Olgreen, Ingrid McIntosh, Beatrice Keaton,
Robyn McIntosh;
Uncles:
Nathaniel Roach III, Alban Roach (Gussie Roach),
Godfrey Turnquest;
Nephews:
Trevor Bridgewater, Joel McPhee, Alan Anderson,
Demeco Dorsett, Kurt Smith, Chadwick Matkins,
Foster Dorsett, Jr., Andrew Penn, Christopher
Keaton, Maxwell Keaton & Elijah McIntosh;
Nieces:
Cheryl McPhee, Sharon Roach, Carina Bridgewater,
Shaunda Matkins, Tamara Anderson, Abigail Penn,
Tara McGee, Annaka Smith, Ashley Noel, Kelsey
Roach, Jenay McIntosh, T'nee Moss & Asia
McIntosh;
Other close relatives and friends, including:
Deandra McKinney & Family, Selene McKinney,
Pastor H. A. Roach and Family,Deidre, Gigi &
Gyles Turnquest, Edith Vernita Roach, Mr. & Mrs.
Ellerston Rahming, Harvey & Betsey Morris and
Family, Rev. Simeon Hall & Mrs. Hall and Family,
Mr. Arthur Clarke, Sr., & Family, Sir A.D. Hanna
& Family, Dr. Kevin & Mrs. Karen Moss, Mrs. Dawn
Albury-Gaitor, Mrs. Ona Bailey, Ms. Tracey Godet,
Ms. Michelle Demeritte, Ms. Nisha Major, Dwain
Wallace, C.B. Zonicle & Family, The Adventist
Men's Chorale and Wives, Officers and Members of
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church (The Kirk),
Bahamas Concert & Orchestra, President and
officers of the Atlantic Caribbean Union and
South Bahamas Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists, Members & Officers of the
Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church, the
Great Harbour Cay/Bullocks Harbour Community,
Staff of A.L. Cleaning Company and others too
numerous to mention.
Relatives and friends may pay their respects at
Cedar Crest Funeral Home & Crematorium, Robinson
Road and First Street on Saturday from 12:00
noon to 6:00p.m and on Sunday at the church from
11:30a.m until service time.
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