Donald L. Lafrance

Donald Leo LaFrance, 81, of 88 Autumn Drive, North Adams, died Thursday morning, Sept. 10th, at Melbourne Place in Pittsfield. He was born in Adams on April 3, 1928, a son of the late Leo and Anna (Rudd) LaFrance. He attended Adams schools, and graduated from the former Adams High School in 1946. He also attended Northeastern University in Boston. He was a Veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving with the 24th Signal Service Battalion of the US Army from 1951 until his Honorable Discharge as a Corporal in 1953. From an early age, Mr. LaFrance worked at his parents' grocery store, the former Leo's Market, on Commercial St. in Adams. He was also instrumental in facilitating the building and opening of the former First National Stores in Adams. In 1961, he decided to pursue a career as an investment broker and joined the Walter DelDotto & Co. investment firm of Fitzwilliam, N.H., which later merged with Burbank & Co. of Boston in 1972. Ten years later, Burbank merged with A.G. Edwards & Sons, where he would became Vice President of Investments. In 1988, Don opened the Adams branch of A.G. Edwards, with his wife, Eleanor, as his executive secretary. They operated the Adams branch until they retired in 1993. He was a communicant of the Parish of Pope John Paul the Great, Adams, and was an active communicant of the former Parish of Notre Dame & St. Thomas Aquinas, Adams, where he served on many parish committees. He was a former member of the Town of Adams Finance Committee, a Past President of the Adams Chamber of Commerce, a Trustee and member of the Board of Investment of South Adams Savings Bank, a Corporator of the former North Adams State College Foundation and a member of its Trust & Endowment Fund Committee. He was also a past director and member of the Adams Lions Club for over 50 years. His wife of 59 years, the former Eleanor M. Boisvert, whom he married on September 4, 1950, died on July 13, 2009. He is survived by 2 daughters, Carol Atwater and her husband, Donald, of Dalton, MA and Jane Kulpa and her husband, David, of Hollis, N.H.; 1 son, James LaFrance and his wife, Melissa, of Dalton, MA; 5 Grandchildren, Daniel Wallace of Watervliet, N.Y., Lindsay LaFrance of Dalton, MA and Kari, Erika and Jeffrey Kulpa of Hollis, N.H. 2 brothers, Richard LaFrance of Cheshire, and David LaFrance of Southwick, MA; 1 sister, Margaret Rancatti of Adams, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces & grandnephews. The funeral will be held on Monday, Sept. 14th, at 9:00 AM from the PACIOREK FUNERAL HOME, 13 Hoosac St. Adams, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in the Parish Church of Pope John Paul the Great, Adams, celebrated by Rev. Daniel J. Boyle, Pastor. Burial will follow in Bellevue Cemetery, Adams. Calling hours are Sunday from 4 to 7 PM at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the VNA & Hospice of Northern Berkshire through the funeral home.

Donald L. Lafrance

April 3, 1928 - September 10, 2009