Jill Marie Roche

Jill Roche, age 75 of Cottage Grove, Minnesota passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026 surrounded by her family.

Jill was born in St. Paul to George Whitacre III and Margaret Whitacre. She grew up in West St. Paul alongside her beloved older sister, Judy, and her most cherished neighborhood friend, Karen. Jill was also blessed with a large and loving extended family and shared special bonds with many cousins.

She proudly graduated as a member of the first graduating class of Brady High School in 1968. Following high school, she studied accounting. In 1969, she married and soon began her greatest role as a mother to her two children. Jill worked at First National Bank in St. Paul in the General Ledger department, where she began building a long and dedicated career in banking.

In 1979, Jill and her husband moved to Cottage Grove to raise their children, Tim and Jenny. In 1993, she began working at Anchor Bank in West St. Paul and later transferred to the Apple Valley branch, where she served as a Data Processing Manager. She was known for her strong work ethic and supportive leadership.

Jill retired at the age of 59, cherishing the opportunity to spend more time with her treasured grandchildren. She also enjoyed helping with her son’s family business, Bella Pizza for over 20 years. In 2019, she joined her lifelong friend Karen working at Cossetta’s, where she found her dream retirement job as a Cash Accounting Manager. Jill truly loved her coworkers and took great joy in mentoring and creating friendships in the accounting and payroll office.

Her children and grandchildren were the pride of her life. She loved time spent with family and friends, whether gathering for dinners, attending movies and plays, or enjoying lively games of cards like Skip-Bo. She adored her beloved dogs, Molly and Gizmo. An exceptional crossword enthusiast, Jill especially enjoyed testing her knowledge while watching the game show Jeopardy!.Jill will be remembered for the deep pride she took in her family, her unwavering loyalty to friends, her strong commitment to her work, and the kindness and encouragement she so freely gave to everyone around her. She had a remarkable gift for carrying joy and grace with her, even through her final days.

Jill is survived by children Tim (Cinnamon) Roche and Jenny (Mark) Christensen; grandchildren Natalie (Andy) Schmitz, Jake Christensen, Jocelyn (Landon) Conrath, and Alyssa Christensen; great grandchildren Luciana, Beckham and Scarlett. She is preceded in death by her parents George and Margaret Whitacre; sister Judith Whitacre and grandson Lucas Schorn.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 AM on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at The Church of St. Rita, 8694 80th Street S., Cottage Grove with visitation one hour prior to the service from 10-11 AM. All are invited to a luncheon following the service. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery, 2101 Lexington Ave. S.; Mendota Heights after the luncheon.

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