Chief Petty Officer, CTTC, United States Navy, Ret.
David P. Lacourse, 76, of Sautee Nacoochea died August 20, 2014. Arrangements to be announced by Ward's Funeral Home, Gainesville, GA.
Full details to come.
I am creating this now in the hopes that his immediate family members know about this site.
Dave was very well liked, beloved is a better term. He had dozens many times over that called him friend. He was funny, extremely intelligent, a huge heart and a quick wit! He will be so missed by all, though never forgotten.
All of us missed him the day he went into Hospital, and eagerly awaited his return. To say his friends, esp. his family are devastated, is a mere understatement.
Fair winds and following seas Chief. Quarterdeck is watched.
******************************************************
David Paul LaCourse, age 76, died in Gainesville, Georgia on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from complications after surgery. A resident of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, and former resident of Hudson, Massachusetts, he was a warm, funny, generous man who lived life to the fullest. He was a retired Navy chief, avid fly fisherman, car enthusiast, jazz aficionado, and unparalleled story teller. He was also a fun-loving daredevil who enjoyed white water rafting, ziplining, tubing, horseback riding, and fly fishing with his grandchildren. Above all else, he will be remembered for his dedication to God, country, family, and friends.
Dave was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 25, 1938, to Louise and Aime LaCourse. Growing up in Springfield, he graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1956.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and became a Communications Technician (cryptologist) and instructor. He was stationed all over the world – Guam; Kamiseya, Japan; Azores, Portugal; Adak, Alaska; Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; the U.S.S. Triton submarine; and multiple locations across the U.S., including Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He married Christine Dail on September 10, 1961 (later divorced), and they had two daughters, Cynthia and Paula. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer in 1976.
His second career was in the high-tech industry near Boston, Massachusetts, starting first at Honeywell Electro-Optics Center. In 1978, he joined GTE Laboratories, where he was involved in pioneering research on optical communications. He married the physicist who initially hired and worked with him, Dr. Joanne Snare LaCourse, on June 22, 1985. He retired from GTE in 1992.
Never one to be idle, Dave began his third career: teaching for Sandy Stevens’ Skid School. This combined his love of high-performance driving with his passion for teaching drivers to avoid collisions. His students included law enforcement, commercial fleets, and – most important to him – teenagers, including his own grandchildren. He retired for the last time in 2002.
On the personal side, Dave had a long, happy life, surrounded by family, friends, and his beloved golden retrievers. His favorite pastime was fly fishing, which his mother taught him as a child. He then taught his grandsons, who often accompanied him on fishing trips. His favorite waters were the Rapid River at Lakewood Camps, Middledam, Maine, but he fly fished all over the world, including Russia, Patagonia, Alaska, Labrador, and Tierra del Fuego.
Sports cars were another lifetime hobby - especially Corvairs and Audi’s – and he enjoyed driving, rallying, and ice racing. His most unusual hobbies were digging for antique bottles in the jungles of Panama in the 1970’s, solving cryptoquotes with a pen, exploring maps, and watching weather and astronomical events. He also enjoyed volunteering, especially at his church, food pantry, and Meals on Wheels. Music was another passion, especially jazz; he played the bass clarinet in his high school band, and sang with the Waylers, a semi-professional group, in the 1980’s. He was a prolific writer, and enjoyed writing fishing trip reports, debating politics, and staying in touch with an online community of friends.
Dave’s love for his family was evident to all who knew him. His wife Joanne, his daughters, and grandchildren were always first in his thoughts. If you talked to him for five minutes on the stream or careening wildly down a back country road, you knew the whole of the family as he shared his love and pride in their accomplishments.
He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Joanne Snare LaCourse ; daughters Cynthia Vincent and Paula (Patrick); and grandchildren Jeffrey (Rebecca), Brian , Danielle , Brenden , and Riley ; and an infant great-grandson, Carter , all of Westminster, Massachusetts; three brothers-in-law, Derrell (Vicky) of Willis, Virginia, Donald of Gainesville, Georgia, and Daniel of Athens, Alabama; and ten nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Irene Willis of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, his brother Aime LaCourse, Jr, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and his son-in-law, Bruce Vincent of Westminster, Massachusetts.
Friends and family are invited to life celebrations:
Massachusetts: A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Acton, MA.
Georgia: A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at the Skylake Clubhouse, 79 Sautee Trail, Sautee Nacoochee, GA. (It is the first driveway on the left after entering Skylake.)
Memorial donations are welcomed for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (http://curealzfund.org/donate), in memory of his son-in-law Bruce Vincent, who passed away at age 51 from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.
Online condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home, 758 Main Street S.W., Gainesville, GA, is in charge of arrangements.
David P. Lacourse, 76, of Sautee Nacoochea died August 20, 2014. Arrangements to be announced by Ward's Funeral Home, Gainesville, GA.
Full details to come.
I am creating this now in the hopes that his immediate family members know about this site.
Dave was very well liked, beloved is a better term. He had dozens many times over that called him friend. He was funny, extremely intelligent, a huge heart and a quick wit! He will be so missed by all, though never forgotten.
All of us missed him the day he went into Hospital, and eagerly awaited his return. To say his friends, esp. his family are devastated, is a mere understatement.
Fair winds and following seas Chief. Quarterdeck is watched.
******************************************************
David Paul LaCourse, age 76, died in Gainesville, Georgia on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from complications after surgery. A resident of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, and former resident of Hudson, Massachusetts, he was a warm, funny, generous man who lived life to the fullest. He was a retired Navy chief, avid fly fisherman, car enthusiast, jazz aficionado, and unparalleled story teller. He was also a fun-loving daredevil who enjoyed white water rafting, ziplining, tubing, horseback riding, and fly fishing with his grandchildren. Above all else, he will be remembered for his dedication to God, country, family, and friends.
Dave was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 25, 1938, to Louise and Aime LaCourse. Growing up in Springfield, he graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1956.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and became a Communications Technician (cryptologist) and instructor. He was stationed all over the world – Guam; Kamiseya, Japan; Azores, Portugal; Adak, Alaska; Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; the U.S.S. Triton submarine; and multiple locations across the U.S., including Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He married Christine Dail on September 10, 1961 (later divorced), and they had two daughters, Cynthia and Paula. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer in 1976.
His second career was in the high-tech industry near Boston, Massachusetts, starting first at Honeywell Electro-Optics Center. In 1978, he joined GTE Laboratories, where he was involved in pioneering research on optical communications. He married the physicist who initially hired and worked with him, Dr. Joanne Snare LaCourse, on June 22, 1985. He retired from GTE in 1992.
Never one to be idle, Dave began his third career: teaching for Sandy Stevens’ Skid School. This combined his love of high-performance driving with his passion for teaching drivers to avoid collisions. His students included law enforcement, commercial fleets, and – most important to him – teenagers, including his own grandchildren. He retired for the last time in 2002.
On the personal side, Dave had a long, happy life, surrounded by family, friends, and his beloved golden retrievers. His favorite pastime was fly fishing, which his mother taught him as a child. He then taught his grandsons, who often accompanied him on fishing trips. His favorite waters were the Rapid River at Lakewood Camps, Middledam, Maine, but he fly fished all over the world, including Russia, Patagonia, Alaska, Labrador, and Tierra del Fuego.
Sports cars were another lifetime hobby - especially Corvairs and Audi’s – and he enjoyed driving, rallying, and ice racing. His most unusual hobbies were digging for antique bottles in the jungles of Panama in the 1970’s, solving cryptoquotes with a pen, exploring maps, and watching weather and astronomical events. He also enjoyed volunteering, especially at his church, food pantry, and Meals on Wheels. Music was another passion, especially jazz; he played the bass clarinet in his high school band, and sang with the Waylers, a semi-professional group, in the 1980’s. He was a prolific writer, and enjoyed writing fishing trip reports, debating politics, and staying in touch with an online community of friends.
Dave’s love for his family was evident to all who knew him. His wife Joanne, his daughters, and grandchildren were always first in his thoughts. If you talked to him for five minutes on the stream or careening wildly down a back country road, you knew the whole of the family as he shared his love and pride in their accomplishments.
He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Joanne Snare LaCourse ; daughters Cynthia Vincent and Paula (Patrick); and grandchildren Jeffrey (Rebecca), Brian , Danielle , Brenden , and Riley ; and an infant great-grandson, Carter , all of Westminster, Massachusetts; three brothers-in-law, Derrell (Vicky) of Willis, Virginia, Donald of Gainesville, Georgia, and Daniel of Athens, Alabama; and ten nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Irene Willis of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, his brother Aime LaCourse, Jr, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and his son-in-law, Bruce Vincent of Westminster, Massachusetts.
Friends and family are invited to life celebrations:
Massachusetts: A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Acton, MA.
Georgia: A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at the Skylake Clubhouse, 79 Sautee Trail, Sautee Nacoochee, GA. (It is the first driveway on the left after entering Skylake.)
Memorial donations are welcomed for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (http://curealzfund.org/donate), in memory of his son-in-law Bruce Vincent, who passed away at age 51 from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.
Online condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home, 758 Main Street S.W., Gainesville, GA, is in charge of arrangements.
Chief Petty Officer, CTTC, United States Navy, Ret.
David P. Lacourse, 76, of Sautee Nacoochea died August 20, 2014. Arrangements to be announced by Ward's Funeral Home, Gainesville, GA.
Full details to come.
I am creating this now in the hopes that his immediate family members know about this site.
Dave was very well liked, beloved is a better term. He had dozens many times over that called him friend. He was funny, extremely intelligent, a huge heart and a quick wit! He will be so missed by all, though never forgotten.
All of us missed him the day he went into Hospital, and eagerly awaited his return. To say his friends, esp. his family are devastated, is a mere understatement.
Fair winds and following seas Chief. Quarterdeck is watched.
******************************************************
David Paul LaCourse, age 76, died in Gainesville, Georgia on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from complications after surgery. A resident of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, and former resident of Hudson, Massachusetts, he was a warm, funny, generous man who lived life to the fullest. He was a retired Navy chief, avid fly fisherman, car enthusiast, jazz aficionado, and unparalleled story teller. He was also a fun-loving daredevil who enjoyed white water rafting, ziplining, tubing, horseback riding, and fly fishing with his grandchildren. Above all else, he will be remembered for his dedication to God, country, family, and friends.
Dave was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 25, 1938, to Louise and Aime LaCourse. Growing up in Springfield, he graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1956.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and became a Communications Technician (cryptologist) and instructor. He was stationed all over the world – Guam; Kamiseya, Japan; Azores, Portugal; Adak, Alaska; Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; the U.S.S. Triton submarine; and multiple locations across the U.S., including Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He married Christine Dail on September 10, 1961 (later divorced), and they had two daughters, Cynthia and Paula. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer in 1976.
His second career was in the high-tech industry near Boston, Massachusetts, starting first at Honeywell Electro-Optics Center. In 1978, he joined GTE Laboratories, where he was involved in pioneering research on optical communications. He married the physicist who initially hired and worked with him, Dr. Joanne Snare LaCourse, on June 22, 1985. He retired from GTE in 1992.
Never one to be idle, Dave began his third career: teaching for Sandy Stevens’ Skid School. This combined his love of high-performance driving with his passion for teaching drivers to avoid collisions. His students included law enforcement, commercial fleets, and – most important to him – teenagers, including his own grandchildren. He retired for the last time in 2002.
On the personal side, Dave had a long, happy life, surrounded by family, friends, and his beloved golden retrievers. His favorite pastime was fly fishing, which his mother taught him as a child. He then taught his grandsons, who often accompanied him on fishing trips. His favorite waters were the Rapid River at Lakewood Camps, Middledam, Maine, but he fly fished all over the world, including Russia, Patagonia, Alaska, Labrador, and Tierra del Fuego.
Sports cars were another lifetime hobby - especially Corvairs and Audi’s – and he enjoyed driving, rallying, and ice racing. His most unusual hobbies were digging for antique bottles in the jungles of Panama in the 1970’s, solving cryptoquotes with a pen, exploring maps, and watching weather and astronomical events. He also enjoyed volunteering, especially at his church, food pantry, and Meals on Wheels. Music was another passion, especially jazz; he played the bass clarinet in his high school band, and sang with the Waylers, a semi-professional group, in the 1980’s. He was a prolific writer, and enjoyed writing fishing trip reports, debating politics, and staying in touch with an online community of friends.
Dave’s love for his family was evident to all who knew him. His wife Joanne, his daughters, and grandchildren were always first in his thoughts. If you talked to him for five minutes on the stream or careening wildly down a back country road, you knew the whole of the family as he shared his love and pride in their accomplishments.
He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Joanne Snare LaCourse ; daughters Cynthia Vincent and Paula (Patrick); and grandchildren Jeffrey (Rebecca), Brian , Danielle , Brenden , and Riley ; and an infant great-grandson, Carter , all of Westminster, Massachusetts; three brothers-in-law, Derrell (Vicky) of Willis, Virginia, Donald of Gainesville, Georgia, and Daniel of Athens, Alabama; and ten nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Irene Willis of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, his brother Aime LaCourse, Jr, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and his son-in-law, Bruce Vincent of Westminster, Massachusetts.
Friends and family are invited to life celebrations:
Massachusetts: A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Acton, MA.
Georgia: A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at the Skylake Clubhouse, 79 Sautee Trail, Sautee Nacoochee, GA. (It is the first driveway on the left after entering Skylake.)
Memorial donations are welcomed for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (http://curealzfund.org/donate), in memory of his son-in-law Bruce Vincent, who passed away at age 51 from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.
Online condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home, 758 Main Street S.W., Gainesville, GA, is in charge of arrangements.
David P. Lacourse, 76, of Sautee Nacoochea died August 20, 2014. Arrangements to be announced by Ward's Funeral Home, Gainesville, GA.
Full details to come.
I am creating this now in the hopes that his immediate family members know about this site.
Dave was very well liked, beloved is a better term. He had dozens many times over that called him friend. He was funny, extremely intelligent, a huge heart and a quick wit! He will be so missed by all, though never forgotten.
All of us missed him the day he went into Hospital, and eagerly awaited his return. To say his friends, esp. his family are devastated, is a mere understatement.
Fair winds and following seas Chief. Quarterdeck is watched.
******************************************************
David Paul LaCourse, age 76, died in Gainesville, Georgia on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, from complications after surgery. A resident of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, and former resident of Hudson, Massachusetts, he was a warm, funny, generous man who lived life to the fullest. He was a retired Navy chief, avid fly fisherman, car enthusiast, jazz aficionado, and unparalleled story teller. He was also a fun-loving daredevil who enjoyed white water rafting, ziplining, tubing, horseback riding, and fly fishing with his grandchildren. Above all else, he will be remembered for his dedication to God, country, family, and friends.
Dave was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 25, 1938, to Louise and Aime LaCourse. Growing up in Springfield, he graduated from the High School of Commerce in 1956.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and became a Communications Technician (cryptologist) and instructor. He was stationed all over the world – Guam; Kamiseya, Japan; Azores, Portugal; Adak, Alaska; Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; the U.S.S. Triton submarine; and multiple locations across the U.S., including Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He married Christine Dail on September 10, 1961 (later divorced), and they had two daughters, Cynthia and Paula. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer in 1976.
His second career was in the high-tech industry near Boston, Massachusetts, starting first at Honeywell Electro-Optics Center. In 1978, he joined GTE Laboratories, where he was involved in pioneering research on optical communications. He married the physicist who initially hired and worked with him, Dr. Joanne Snare LaCourse, on June 22, 1985. He retired from GTE in 1992.
Never one to be idle, Dave began his third career: teaching for Sandy Stevens’ Skid School. This combined his love of high-performance driving with his passion for teaching drivers to avoid collisions. His students included law enforcement, commercial fleets, and – most important to him – teenagers, including his own grandchildren. He retired for the last time in 2002.
On the personal side, Dave had a long, happy life, surrounded by family, friends, and his beloved golden retrievers. His favorite pastime was fly fishing, which his mother taught him as a child. He then taught his grandsons, who often accompanied him on fishing trips. His favorite waters were the Rapid River at Lakewood Camps, Middledam, Maine, but he fly fished all over the world, including Russia, Patagonia, Alaska, Labrador, and Tierra del Fuego.
Sports cars were another lifetime hobby - especially Corvairs and Audi’s – and he enjoyed driving, rallying, and ice racing. His most unusual hobbies were digging for antique bottles in the jungles of Panama in the 1970’s, solving cryptoquotes with a pen, exploring maps, and watching weather and astronomical events. He also enjoyed volunteering, especially at his church, food pantry, and Meals on Wheels. Music was another passion, especially jazz; he played the bass clarinet in his high school band, and sang with the Waylers, a semi-professional group, in the 1980’s. He was a prolific writer, and enjoyed writing fishing trip reports, debating politics, and staying in touch with an online community of friends.
Dave’s love for his family was evident to all who knew him. His wife Joanne, his daughters, and grandchildren were always first in his thoughts. If you talked to him for five minutes on the stream or careening wildly down a back country road, you knew the whole of the family as he shared his love and pride in their accomplishments.
He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Joanne Snare LaCourse ; daughters Cynthia Vincent and Paula (Patrick); and grandchildren Jeffrey (Rebecca), Brian , Danielle , Brenden , and Riley ; and an infant great-grandson, Carter , all of Westminster, Massachusetts; three brothers-in-law, Derrell (Vicky) of Willis, Virginia, Donald of Gainesville, Georgia, and Daniel of Athens, Alabama; and ten nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Irene Willis of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, his brother Aime LaCourse, Jr, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and his son-in-law, Bruce Vincent of Westminster, Massachusetts.
Friends and family are invited to life celebrations:
Massachusetts: A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Acton, MA.
Georgia: A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at the Skylake Clubhouse, 79 Sautee Trail, Sautee Nacoochee, GA. (It is the first driveway on the left after entering Skylake.)
Memorial donations are welcomed for Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 200, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (http://curealzfund.org/donate), in memory of his son-in-law Bruce Vincent, who passed away at age 51 from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s.
Online condolences may be made online at wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home, 758 Main Street S.W., Gainesville, GA, is in charge of arrangements.
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