James Rochester
- Easley, SC
James Ralph Rochester, 79, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at St. Francis Hospital.
Born in Salem, the son of the late Oscar Rochester and the late Eleanor Rogers Rochester Hughey, Mr. Rochester graduated from Clemson in 1951. In 1953, James felt the call of God to go into Christian Ministry. He left his job at J.P. Stevens Company and began to sell Christian books and Bibles door-to-door. Despite tough times and a test of his faith, God blessed James and called him to open Rochester Christian Book Store in 1955. This ministry flourished at its' US 123 location for fifty years and now is still alive in its' Easley location near K-Mart.
Mr. Rochester was a member of Georges Creek Baptist Church where he was a Sunday School teacher, and was a veteran of the US Coast Guard.
Surviving are his wife of of fifty-seven years, Melba Hughey Rochester of the home; a son, David Rochester and wife, Dot, of Indain Harbor, FL; two daughters, Lynn R. Reid and husband, Joe, of Easley, and Sharon Rose Rochester of Anderson; and five grandchildren, Kayla Reid, Jonas Reid, Austin Reid, Emilee Rochester, and Juliana Rochester
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at Georges Creek Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The body is at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday and will be placed in the church at 1:00 p.m. Thursday.
Memorials may be made to Georges Creek Baptist Church, 1991 Saluda Dam Road, Easley, SC 29640 or to the Kidney Foundation, 500 Taylor Street, Columbia, SC 29201.
The family is at the residence.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Homne-Downtown, which is assisting the family.