John J. LaRoche
DAYVILLE — John J. LaRoche, 71, of Country Acres Park, died Oct. 30, 2025, after a long battle with lung cancer. He was the husband of Amy Vaillancourt for many years. Born Oct. 5, 1954, in Putnam, he was the son of the late Laurent Richard LaRoche and the late Anne R. Hayes.
In John’s early years he grew up on the family farm in Thompson raising cows, sheep, ducks, chickens and any wild animal that came along. In his late teens the travel bug set in, he began the journey by hitchhiking across the country. He went west and hit every state with the occasional phone call for bail money. When he returned home, he began a career of many his favorite being a welder at EB.
Around that time the kids started to arrive, first Shannon, then Sheila, and then his mini me Little Joey. This journey took him out to Montana and Oklahoma where he resided for many years until the travel bug hit again this time he ended up in Florida. In his later years he decided he wanted to come back home and settle into the northeast to begin his final adventure.
This is when he meets his wife Amy, and he settled into life the entire time rescuing and rehabilitating many abandoned baby deer that he would encounter. He was lovingly referred to as the deer whisperer. John had a love for all things Harley related; he owned many bikes and loved nothing but riding as the wind blew through his hair. He was also an avid collector of many parts and always on the hunt for more. He could probably build a whole bike with all the parts hanging around. John was a man with a heart of gold and if he had the part you were looking for, or something you needed he would gladly give it up.
He leaves his wife, Amy Vaillancourt; two daughters, Shannon LaRoche, Sheila LaRoche; two sisters, Peggy LaRoche, Jo LaRoche; stepdaughter, Heidi Vaillancourt; stepson, Noah Vaillancourt; 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. And his loyal companion Loki and mother-in-law Barbara Vaillancourt. John is predeceased by son, Joey LaRoche; brother, Brian LaRoche; and his father and mother-in-law, Arsene Vaillancourt.
Visitation was Nov. 7 at the Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
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Wed. Nov. 12
Art Exhibit
DANIELSON --- Thompson artists Ann C. Rosebrooks and Donna O'Scolaigh Lange will be showing paintings and mixed media collage work through Dec. 1 Heirloom Food Company on North Main Street.
Exhibit
WOODSTOCK --- The Center for Woodstock History is presenting a photo exhibit, "Woodstock Through the Camera's Eye in Post-Civil War America." Please call for more info: 860-928-1035.
Stumpo Retrospective
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret on Day Road will present Pomfret works by the late watercolor artist, David C. Stumpo through January. No admission fee to attend the reception or view the exhibition. Hours: noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Writing
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library will present “From Fuzzy Idea to Finished Story: Crafting a Murder Mystery” by local author Sarah P. Blanchard from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the library. Author talk and book signing.
Gallery Open
POMFRET --- The Pomfret School announced the opening of an art gallery, The Gallery at Jahn Reading Room, a new on-campus exhibition space. Alum and contemporary artist Seaver Leslie’s “Mnemosyne: A Sixty-Year Review” and “Observations,” a showcase of new works by Pomfret students, will run through the month of December. Guests should enter through the South Entrance and park in the Main House Lot, which is the second right-hand turn on Paradise Road. Call: JP Jacquet at: 860.208.8521.
Thur. Nov. 13
Book Signing
WOODSTOCK --- Ron Coderre will be at the Emporium Thrift Shop from 4 to 5 p.m. discussing his new book, “The Flood of 1955,” as well as conducting a book signing. All book sales benefit the Aspinock Historical Society.
Fri. Nov. 14
Turkey Drive!
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Business Association’s traditional Turkey Drive to benefit Daily Bread will be held from 7 to 8:30 a.m. in the WINY parking lot.
Sat. Nov. 15
Toy Collection
WOODSTOCK --- The Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association Station 76 will hold its 20th annual toy collection from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring a new unwrapped toy or a donation.
Craft, Bake Sale
ABINGTON --- The Abington Congregational Church on Hampton Road (Rt. 97) will hold a Holiday Craft and Bake Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local vendors, home makes and luncheon.
Mon. Nov.17
Meditation
THOMPSON --- The Quiet Corner Mindful Meditation group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Thompson Public Library. Beginners welcome; no meditation experience necessary.
Tues. Nov. 18
Al-Anon Meeting
POMFRET --- Al-Anon will meet at noon on Tuesdays at the Christ Church, 527 Pomfret St. Please use the lower level door, near the flagpole. All welcome.
Sat. Nov. 22
250th Event
PUTNAM --- The Putnam CT250 250th Anniversary Celebration of the Declaration of Independence Kick Off will feature a roast beef dinner followed by a band at the Albert J. Breault VFW Post 1523. Dinner is from 5 to 7 and the band Jailbreak follows from 7 to 11 p.m. $20/pp or $40 per couple. Tickets at the Putnam Recreation Department.
Cow Chip Fund-raiser
POMFRET --- The Pomfret Lions Club will hold its 19th annual Cow Chip Raffle from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Pomfret School Dining Hall. $120 per ticket, includes admission for two. Benefits local charitable groups and traditional humanitarian Lions charitable causes. Need not be present to win. Tickets: 860-428-4364.
Christmas Bazaar
WOODSTOCK – The First Congregational Church of Woodstock on Rt. 169 will host its annual holiday bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Baked goods, decorations, crafts. Plus lunch. Plus pick up your pre-ordered pot pies (order forms, plus: www.firstchurchwoodstock.org)
Sun. Nov. 23
Fund-raiser Breakfast
MOOSUP --- The Mason Lodge #113 is hosting an all you can eat breakfast to support Paws Cat Shelter from 8 to 11 a.m. at 69 Prospect St. $15 per person. Tickets: at the shelter, 74 School St., Putnam or at the door. 860-315-1228.
Sat. Nov. 29
Preview Film
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library will present excerpts of Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in Room 109 in the Municipal Complex.
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Donation
Christ Church Pomfret recently presented a check for $1000 to TEEG. From left: Jim Goodwin, Miriam Kimball, Judy Miller, Christ Church members; Chelsea French, TEEG Resource Developer; Reverend Sandra L Cosman, Rector Christ Church Pomfret.
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Commentary
War brought lifelong battle with PTSD
By Brian Maynard
U.S. Army Sgt. Andrew Pepin, a Putnam native, earned the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart for extraordinary bravery in the South Pacific during WWII. On Baanga Island, when his commanding officer was wounded and 34 soldiers stranded under intense Japanese machine gun fire, Pepin took command. He rallied his men, tended the wounded, and positioned them among the fallen to feign greater numbers, holding for five days until rescue. Wounded himself, his leadership saved lives and earned him a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant.
Pepin’s heroism continued at Munda Airbase on New Georgia Island. On Aug. 19, 1943, he led three comrades in storming a fortified Japanese machine gun nest, capturing it with nine enemy dead inside. As part of a New England-heavy battalion, they were among the first to seize the airfield, disrupting Japanese operations and earning personal congratulations from the commanding general.
Beyond the jungles and airfields, Pepin and his comrades waged a lifelong battle against what we now call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), unknown and unnamed in their era. The Solomon Islands campaign exposed them to unrelenting horrors: bodies strewn across beaches, the stench of decay and burning flesh, and the abrupt loss of friends who shared meals and dreams one moment, only to lie lifeless the next. These traumas embedded deeply, turning laughter into haunting memories and compounding grief without outlet.
Labeled “shell shock” or “combat fatigue,” PTSD was misunderstood and stigmatized as weakness. Veterans suppressed nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness, grappling alone in a stoic culture that offered no mental health support. Flashbacks resurfaced unbidden, gunfire echoes, comrades’ screams, manifesting in sleepless nights, strained families, and isolation.
Post-war, Pepin and others sought refuge in Putnam’s American Legion and VFW halls, where shared silence provided camaraderie. These organizations numbed vivid intrusions temporarily, but these gatherings couldn’t heal festering psychological wounds in an age lacking therapy or even recognition.
Andrew Pepin’s legacy embodies battlefield triumphs and the unspoken PTSD burden borne in silence. The lingering scars of war silently span generations, as we continue to recognize and feel their enduring impacts even today. By remembering his full story, courage on Baanga and Munda, and the enduring psychological fight, Putnam honors all veterans and commits to their support, ensuring no hero’s struggle fades.
Editor’s note: Andrew was Maynard’s mother’s brother.
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