Marist School recognize Bill and Susan Roche with St. Peter Chanel Award

Bill Roche (Class of ’76) and his wife, Susan, have been given Marist School’s highest honor, the St. Peter Chanel Award, recognizing individuals whose exceptional selflessness, support, and leadership have advanced the school’s mission in Catholic education. Bill, who served as chair of Marist’s Board of Trustees for 12 years and many more years as its vice-chair, said he was surprised and “a little bit reluctant” when he received the call about the award. “I’m not one to need the attention,” he said. “But it is a big honor.” The award is named after St. Peter Chanel, who joined the newly formed Society of Mary in 1831 and was appointed to the first Marist school in Belley, France. In 1836, he and several other Marists volunteered to journey to Oceania, landing on the island of Futuna. “Chanel worked with great zeal to bring Christ to the Futunans and was known among the islanders as ‘the man with the good heart,'” according to Marist’s description of the award’s history. “His success in that regard had a hand in his martyrdom, as the local king felt threatened when his son announced he would become a Christian. Chanel was martyred on April 28, 1841.” The Marist mission “St. Peter was a great example of giving of yourself and bringing education to places where it didn’t exist,” Susan said. “The Marist mission is to educate the whole child, not just to look at scholastics, but to put a huge emphasis on giving of self, giving back to the community, and giving to people who might not have as good a life as you do.” Bill, who attended Marist from 1970-76 when it was a boys-only school, said the school turned co-ed as he matriculated. His two children graduated in 2006 and 2010, and the couple’s involvement spanned many different volunteer roles. Susan was a past chair of the school’s Holiday Traditions , one of the largest juried arts & crafts shows in the Southeast, showcasing one-of-a-kind items created by hundreds of artists and crafters. She also worked as class mom, grade chair, and participated with her daughter in Women Build , a partnership with Habitat for Humanity that started in 2001. “With Bill being on the board, I get drawn into celebrations and different events, so it’s kept me in touch with everything,” she said. Bill said the couple was particularly honored to be recognized as Marist celebrates its 125th year of existence, and said the school, while celebrating its past, is looking “towards the next 125 years.” “It’s a great time to reflect on the history, but also to look forward, which is exciting,” he said. “It’s helpful to understand the history to know who you are and where you need to go. And while we want to maintain the physical plant, we also talk a lot about what the mission of the school is and make sure that we continue to serve that mission effectively.”