Stanley Hugh Roache passed away in Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds on 22 January 2005. Born 1 July 1917, Stanley qualified at King's College in 1937, making him one of the youngest graduates. Working initially for the Metropolitan Police, he entered the Army Dental Corps before the outbreak of the war, serving in Northern Ireland, Cornwall and The Scillies, where he was appointed Dental Surgeon to the Duchy of Cornwall.

Following demob, Stanley, together with his brother Hatha, a technician, established a very successful dental practice in Coventry. Being a quiet, modest and gentle man, Stanley quickly became hugely popular with his patients, and made many friends.

We often ran a sweep on how many teeth Stan removed in one day, the record being 276.

I joined the brothers in 1948 as an apprentice dental mechanic. Their sense of humour was infectious and led to a friendly, caring, often hilarious atmosphere, and their love of dentistry proved inspirational. We often ran a sweep on how many teeth Stan removed in one day, the record being 276.

Stan's supremely happy marriage to Joan was blessed with two sons: Philip, a solicitor, Andrew, the recently retired Brigadier of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, and four grandchildren. Retirement then took Stanley and Joan to the Cotswolds, then Kingsbridge in Devon. When Joan died in 1990 it left a huge hole in Stan's life, and he returned to live in Moreton-in-Marsh. His passing has saddened his large circle of friends.