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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Mar '94
Harold Francis LaCouture No. 15920 Class of 1946
Died 29 January 1981 in Englewood, Colorado, aged 56 years. Interment:
Fort Logan National Cemetery, Fort Logan, Colorado |
Harold Francis LaCouture was born on 23 December
1924 in Colon, Kansas. His multi-faceted talents came to the
fore when Lac was in high school. He became ROTC Cadet Colonel
and commander of his unit, a post previously held by his brother,
Arthur, USMA June-1943. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in
the remarkable span of fourteen months. When he graduated from
Leavenworth High School, he was named "Most Versatile,"
"Best Actor" and "Most Likely to Succeed."
From high school, Lac entered Sullivan's Preparatory School in
Washington, D.C. to prepare for West Point. As a result of his
efforts, he received the highest score of all of Sullivans' applicants
and gained his coveted appointment to West Point. He joined the
Class of 1946 on 1 July1943.
His ROTC training in high school stood Lac in good
stead as he started life as a cadet. The trials and tribulations
of "Beast Barracks" and plebe year were easily overcome.
Academics kept him busy, but he encountered no serious problems.
One of his roommates, Richard H. (Dick) Turner, remembered, "I
roomed with Lac and Kenneth (Buster) Hughes our entire time as
cadets. Lac was low key and basically did what a cadet was supposed
to do. I recall that on our first class weekends in New York
City, he would approach celebrity female big band singers and
ask them to come up to West Point as his date for a hop. He was
amazingly successful. You would have been hard pressed to find
a better roommate than Lac." Another classmate recalled
that Lac stood out with his interest and concern for other people.
When graduation rolled around, Lac was commissioned a second
lieutenant in the Infantry.
His first year after graduation was spent at Fort Benning, Georgia
getting basic Infantry schooling and becoming jump qualified.
In 1947 he traveled to Japan for assignment to the 187th Airborne
Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division. When the 11th rotated
back to Fort Campbell, Lac returned with his unit. In 1949, Lac
transferred to the Air Force and, after a year received his wings.
His first assignment was to McDill AFB, Florida. In January 1951,
Lac was assigned to the 307th Bomb Wing in Okinawa and flew 50
missions over Korea. He received the Air Medal with two oak leaf
clusters for those missions. From Okinawa, Lac was assigned to
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana with the 512th Bomb Squadron. While
at Barksdale, Lac met Jo Ann Gooch, and they were married at
Shreveport, Louisiana on 2 August 1952. Immediately after their
marriage, the newlyweds moved to England where Lac was an exchange
pilot with the Royal Air Force. In 1954, Lac resigned from the
Air Force to try his hand at civilian life.
His first venture in the civilian world was with
his father-in-law in the ceramic tile business in Palestine,
Texas. In 1968, Lac decided to change his life by going into
the real estate business in Dallas, Texas. Still in real estate,
the LaCouture family moved to California in 1970 and returned
to Dallas in l97l. It was in l973 that Lac moved to Colorado,
still involved in real estate. He was engaged primarily in recreational
area development and was instrumental in the development of many
Colorado ski areas.
Harold Francis (Lac) LaCouture died 29 January
1981 of a heart attack. He was survived by his wife, Jo Ann;
five sons, Terry, Marty, Chuck, Cary and John; and one daughter,
Mary Lou.
His youngest son, John, provided the following
testament to his father that gives an indication of the attributes
that set Lac apart: "...His greatest achievement and memorial
is the family to whom he devoted his life and taught so many
lessons. His great lessons of love of life, family, friends and
mankind have been so completely instilled in all of us that we,
in turn, affect and influence others. If dad were alive today,
he would be pleased to see his children all happily married and
raising loving families of their own. Seldom did anyone meet
my father and not immediately notice the great love of life that
exuded from him. His gregariousness and amiable nature made him
loved by all. From my earliest memories, I recall being fascinated
by dad's ability to deal with people. Not in a 'salesman-like'
manner with an eye on personal gain, but rather in a sincere
effort to make all those he met feel accepted and better about
themselves. He always taught us to end any encounter with a complement
or laugh. His sincerity was universally acknowledged. His love
of life, family and others was really his greatest achievement
and legacy. We, his children, all try to live our lives in such
a way that would make him proud of us."
Lac would be proud of those words from his son.
They reflect the thoughts of all who knew him and had the opportunity
to share his love of life and people. The Class of 1946 is proud
to join Lac's family and friends and say, "Well Done, Lac;
Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his family
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