1933
Richard
2007
Richard Phillip"Dick" LaFortune
January 27, 1933 — November 3, 2007
Richard Phillip "Dick" LaFortune, 74, of 18 Old Athol Road, Templeton died peacefully, surrounded by his family, Saturday, November 3rd in his residence.
Born in Winchendon on January 27, 1933, he was the son of the late Francis J. and Yvonne (LaBrie) LaFortune.
"Dick" was a self -employed antique dealer. He owned "The Chetwood Nightclub" from 1967 to 2007. He was previously a dairy farmer in Winchendon from 1962 to 1969.
"Dick" attended Murdock High School, Winchendon.
He was a member of Holy Cross Church, E. Templeton. "Dick" was a professional saxophone musician who began his career at the young age of eleven. He played for Buck Owens and had the good fortune to practice with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. He was the founder of the musical group, "The Stardusters". Dick repaired musical instruments for various local music stores and also gave music lessons. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, watching sports and especially treasured spending time with his family.
His wife of 50 years, Laura Frances (Proto) LaFortune, died in 2002.
He leaves four sons, Richard T. LaFortune of Templeton, Thomas A. LaFortune and his wife Jodi of Largo, FL, Steven A. LaFortune of Templeton and Gregory J. LaFortune and his wife Kenee of Gardner; two daughters, Valerie A. Wheeler and her husband Rev. John Wheeler of Warwick, RI and Deborah J. Richard and her husband Michael of Templeton; four brothers, Norman LaFortune and his wife Mae of Lakeland, FL, Alfred LaFortune of Templeton, Robert LaFortune of Riverdale, GA and Albert LaFortune of Templeton; four sisters, Aldia Houghton and her husband Larry of Manchester, NH, Yvonne LaFerte and her husband Albert of Viera, FL, Jean Goodwin and her husband Leo of Winchendon and Shirley Nunley and her husband Charles of Hadensville, VA; a sister-in-law, Dorothy LaFortune of Portsmouth, NH; thirteen grandchildren, John and Alicia Wheeler, Anthony, Timothy, Benjamin, Steven, Summer, LillyRose LaFortune, Jeremy and Jessica Richard, Paul, Brian and Sean McCullen; three great-grandchildren, Arianna Izzi, Andrew and Austin Wheeler; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a son Timothy J. LaFortune who died in 1957, two brothers Leon and Edmund "Pop" LaFortune.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 7th from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner with a Mass at 10:00 a.m. in Holy Cross Church, 25 Lake Avenue, E. Templeton. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Templeton.
Calling hours at the funeral home are Tuesday, November 6th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Heywood Hospital Oncology Unit, 242 Green Street, Gardner, MA 01440 or to Diversified Visiting Nurses Assn., Hospice Program, 25 Tucker Drive, Leominster, MA 01453
Born in Winchendon on January 27, 1933, he was the son of the late Francis J. and Yvonne (LaBrie) LaFortune.
"Dick" was a self -employed antique dealer. He owned "The Chetwood Nightclub" from 1967 to 2007. He was previously a dairy farmer in Winchendon from 1962 to 1969.
"Dick" attended Murdock High School, Winchendon.
He was a member of Holy Cross Church, E. Templeton. "Dick" was a professional saxophone musician who began his career at the young age of eleven. He played for Buck Owens and had the good fortune to practice with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. He was the founder of the musical group, "The Stardusters". Dick repaired musical instruments for various local music stores and also gave music lessons. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, watching sports and especially treasured spending time with his family.
His wife of 50 years, Laura Frances (Proto) LaFortune, died in 2002.
He leaves four sons, Richard T. LaFortune of Templeton, Thomas A. LaFortune and his wife Jodi of Largo, FL, Steven A. LaFortune of Templeton and Gregory J. LaFortune and his wife Kenee of Gardner; two daughters, Valerie A. Wheeler and her husband Rev. John Wheeler of Warwick, RI and Deborah J. Richard and her husband Michael of Templeton; four brothers, Norman LaFortune and his wife Mae of Lakeland, FL, Alfred LaFortune of Templeton, Robert LaFortune of Riverdale, GA and Albert LaFortune of Templeton; four sisters, Aldia Houghton and her husband Larry of Manchester, NH, Yvonne LaFerte and her husband Albert of Viera, FL, Jean Goodwin and her husband Leo of Winchendon and Shirley Nunley and her husband Charles of Hadensville, VA; a sister-in-law, Dorothy LaFortune of Portsmouth, NH; thirteen grandchildren, John and Alicia Wheeler, Anthony, Timothy, Benjamin, Steven, Summer, LillyRose LaFortune, Jeremy and Jessica Richard, Paul, Brian and Sean McCullen; three great-grandchildren, Arianna Izzi, Andrew and Austin Wheeler; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a son Timothy J. LaFortune who died in 1957, two brothers Leon and Edmund "Pop" LaFortune.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 7th from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner with a Mass at 10:00 a.m. in Holy Cross Church, 25 Lake Avenue, E. Templeton. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Templeton.
Calling hours at the funeral home are Tuesday, November 6th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to the Heywood Hospital Oncology Unit, 242 Green Street, Gardner, MA 01440 or to Diversified Visiting Nurses Assn., Hospice Program, 25 Tucker Drive, Leominster, MA 01453
Order Flowers
Service Details
Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 10:00am, Holy Cross Church, 25 Lake Street, E. Templeton
Interment Details
Pine Grove Cemetery, Templeton
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Richard Phillip"Dick" LaFortune, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Visits: 6
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors