Paul M. LaRocque, Sr. (Obituary)
Born August 17, 1937 in Baldwin, Long Island, New York, he was son of the late David W., Sr. and Dorothy (Stromburg) LaRocque.
On September 5, 1992 at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, Lock Haven, he married the former Jo Anne Carpenter who survives.
A 1956 graduate of Bernards High School in Bernardsville, New Jersey, he played basketball and football, and was a member of the football team winning the State Championship his senior year. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Union College in Schnetady, New York where he also played football. He went on to receive his Masters of Business Administration at Rutgers University.
Paul first came to Lock Haven as an Auditor for the Arthur Young Accounting Firm of New York City at the Piper Aircraft Corporation in 1962. He was hired by Piper the following year and left the company in 1974 as Controller. He worked in finance for various companies in Elmira, NY, Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire before returning to Lock Haven in 1989 for the proposed startup of Piper North. In 1991 he was hired by Keystone Central School District as their Business Manager, a position he retired from in June 2007.
An active member of the community, he was elected to the Lock Haven Jointure School Board in 1968 and then was a three-year member of the Keystone Central School Board when that district was formed. He was a past member of the Lock Haven YMCA Board of Directors, serving as President for three years. He served as Treasurer of St. Luke’s United Church of Christ for ten years; and he was a long-time member of the Lock Haven Kiwanis, serving as President in 2001. Paul was appointed to an opening on Flemington Boro Council in 2008 and elected to two consecutive terms on that board, resigning his seat in 2016.
He was a PIAA official for football and baseball, and had umpired local Little League and American Legion baseball. He also officiated football, baseball and ice hockey while living in New England.
Paul was an avid sports fan, making yearly trips to Fenway Pak for is beloved Boston Red Sox games. He was a Penn State football fan and also a New York Giants fan.
He and Jo enjoyed traveling and going on many trips throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.
He enjoyed reading, especially political view books.
In addition to his loving wife, Paul is survived by one brother, David W. (Toni) LaRocque of Penllyn; three sons: Paul M., Jr. of Torrington, CT, Joseph P. (Megan) of Baltimore, MD, David W. (Rachelle) of Rochester, NH; a daughter, Nancy L. LaRocque of Madison, WI; 12 grandchildren: Rhianna LaRocque of Brooklyn, NY, Payton LaRocque of Lander, WY, Joey LaRocque of Baltimore, Mattie, Sarah and Evan LaRocque of Black Mountain, NC, Miranda, Noelle and Davey LaRocque of Rochester, NH, Gabrielle Lamontagne of Rochester, NH, and Bolton and Zachary Bickel of Baltimore; a niece, Elisabeth Everett and her family of Hillsborough, NJ; the mother-of-his-children, Anne Nevins LaRocque of Madison, WI; his father-in-law, Ira Carpenter of Swissdale; a sister-in-law and her family: Judy, Ken, and Jackie Baker of South Williamsport; and one cousin.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, one nephew, Christopher, his mother-in-law, Nancy Carpenter; numerous aunts and uncles; and one cousin.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Donald G. Walker Funeral Home, Inc., 231 High St., Flemington with Rev. Patty Dodds officiating. Private burial will take place at Swissdale Cemetery.
Friends and family will be received at the funeral home on Friday from 6 until 8 p.m. as well as on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
Memorial contributions in Paul’s name may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be given by visiting www.donaldwalkerfuneralhome.com
