Henry Rocha, Jr.

Henry Rocha, Jr. passed away on Monday, June 25, 2018 due to complications from a surgical procedure. His loss will leave a void in the lives of his huge extended family, his friends, his classmates and his co-workers. Henry was born on November 6, 1951 at Wheeler Hospital in Gilroy, California. He was the first born and only son of Henry Rocha Sr. and Catalina Rocha. He was the ultimate big brother to his five sisters. When they were young, he was the jokester, always playing pranks on the girls.
As he got older he shared the driving duties with his Dad on the annual Easter vacations to Disneyland and on trips to visit relatives. He ran track in high school and in his adult years was an avid bike rider, rock climber, racquetball player, and backpacker. He enjoyed many seasons of baseball, with his team, “Against All Odds”, and was a dedicated volunteer at Coe Park. He loved working with his hands, just like his father, and passed those skills on to his nephews and grandsons.
According to his Sisters, Henry was the “unofficial mayor” of Gilroy and the inventor of “chill”. He always brought a smile, a joke, a bottle of wine and friendship to every gathering. He was a good and humble man, who lived a life of generosity, giving freely from the heart, and exemplifying human kindness just by being himself.
Henry resided for the last 25 years on Third Street where he spent hours taking care of his yard and pool. His barroom was his pride and joy; turning into a fantasy-land of trains and hobo villages at Christmas. He fed the birds, barbequed on grills and in barrels, and listened constantly to a wide variety of music and sporting events. He recently celebrated his forty-fourth year with “Gilroy Foods” (now Olam) and was getting ready to retire.
He is survived by his wife, Suzann, black lab, Tigger, mother, Katie, sisters Rosemary (Richard Zurlo), Bertie (Glen Cooke), Sylvia (Rod Bell) and Suzann’s children, Todd (Kelly), Teresa and Thomas Owczarzak, brother-in-law, Michael and sister-in-law, Stephanie (Pete). There are many, many nieces and nephews that are left without their Uncle Henry. He now joins his heavenly family: his father, Henry Rocha, Sr., sisters, Anna Rocha Taylor, and Lupe Rocha Yamamoto, sisters-in-law, Lynne Muccigrosso and Kathleen Muccigrosso-White and mother-in-law, Florence Fowler.
Thursday, July 5, 2018, a visitation will begin at 1:00pm with an evening service at 7:00pm both at Habing Family Funeral Home.
Funeral Mass will be held 10:00am, Friday, July 6, 2018 at St. Mary Catholic Church.
Burial will follow at Gavilan Hills Memorial Park, Gilroy.
Online condolences at www.habingfamilyfuneralhome.com