Christopher Roper Obituary: Businessman and Reuters Journalist 2026

Christopher Roper, a businessman, publisher, and former Reuters correspondent, has died aged 86. His life was a testament to the belief that work should be an adventure, a philosophy that guided his remarkable career from witnessing Che Guevara's body to building a publishing empire.

Early Life and Education

Born at Forde Abbey in Dorset, Christopher was one of four children of Diana and Geoffrey Roper, a forester and landowner. The 1930s agricultural depression had tarnished the family's silver spoon, and during the war his mother housed evacuees and aged relatives in the unheated former Cistercian abbey.

Christopher boarded at Bradfield College in Berkshire, which he hated, before studying theology at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He spent time doing voluntary work in Alaska before graduating in 1962 and teaching in Sierra Leone.

Career at Reuters and the Che Guevara Scoop

At age 24, Christopher joined Reuters, covering military coups in Algeria (1965), Argentina (1966), and Peru (1968). His territory included Bolivia, where Ernesto 'Che' Guevara had launched his final insurgency. In October 1967, Christopher was one of two journalists to witness Guevara's body being brought into Vallegrande strapped to a helicopter's landing gear. This scoop won him front-page bylines in the New York Times and the Russian newspaper Izvestia.

From Journalism to Business

After his marriage to Penelope Plowden ended in divorce in 1975, Christopher lived with his future second wife, Janie Prince, in a Stockwell commune built around political and environmental concerns. He was part of a two-man team publishing weekly Latin American newsletters, which grew to employ 30 people by 1980. However, burnt out, he pivoted to a new venture: teaching children computer programming using the Logo language.

Legacy and Impact

Christopher Roper's life exemplified how business and adventure can intertwine. His reporting brought global attention to historic events, and his publishing efforts informed thousands. His belief that work should be an adventure inspired colleagues and family alike.

Key Takeaways

• Christopher Roper was a Reuters correspondent who witnessed Che Guevara's body in 1967.
• He co-founded a successful Latin American newsletter service.
• He later championed computer education for children using Logo.
• His life story highlights the value of pursuing passion in work.

Comparison: Journalism vs. Business Career

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