John Franklin Rochford

A poet, a dreamer, a sailor and a storyteller, John will always be remembered for his smile and the kind words he had for all. John passed away with his wife Trisha by his bedside, on December 12th, 2023, in Portland, OR just a day after his 90th birthday. John was born in Kansas City, MO on Dec. 11, 1933 to Elizabeth (Betty) Forrest and Franklin James Rochford. He and his sisters, Betty Ann and Marcia, grew up in the Minneapolis area and lived for a time with his maternal grandparents after his father died when he was just 8 years old. John had fond memories of attending Camp Warren in Northern Minnesota as a young boy and later as a counselor, where he learned to love canoeing and sailing. Even as his memory declined in recent years, he could still remember the Camp Warren song. He graduated from Edina High School and attended the University of Minnesota. He served two years in the Army Signal Corp, stationed in Ft. Gordon, GA, where his first child, Linda was born with his then wife, Nancy. Returning to Minnesota, two more children, Lisa and John joined the family. John pursued a career with Prudential for 17 years in Minnesota and California before transitioning into the building industry with Capp Homes. In 1972 he married Trisha Gage and they lived in Sacramento, Minneapolis, Raleigh, Gibson Island, MD, Seattle and Spokane and eventually ended up in Portland, OR. Three more children were added to the family, Molly, Kate and Alexander. John worked for Whittaker Corporation before starting his own consulting partnership called Business Research Group. John loved writing, especially poetry, and published his own book of poems, “Rochford’s Poems”. John will often be remembered holding one of his favorite pens in hand or having it nearby in the pocket of his crisp blue oxford shirt, ready to be put to use. He taught a writing class at a community center for seniors in Portland, encouraging them to stay engaged in life as he had. He started a Family Poetry Club where he encouraged all to share their creations. John was an avid reader and loved conversation, two loves he would attribute to his mother and their family talks around the dinner table. In his later years, Trisha would read to him every night. Some of his happiest times were at the tiller of his sailboat, wind in his hair and with his family as his crew. He loved his family dearly and is survived by his wife of 51 years, Trisha Rochford, his children Linda (Paul Sandholm), Lisa Plummer (Phil), John (Ginger), Molly Wright (Doug), Kate Resch (Josh) and Alexander, his 14 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Sail On, Dear John, we love you so!

John Franklin Rochford

December 11, 1933 - December 12, 2023