Dr. Rene R. LaPlante of Brattleboro, VT, died on Sunday, February 4, 2018. He was born in Claremont, NH, on January 4, 1929, the youngest of 13 children of Oscar F. and Adelia Gregoire LaPlante.
Ray was educated in the Claremont, NH, school system, the University of New Hampshire and the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA. After graduation, he spent two years in the U.S. Army in the capacity of an Optometrist.
Ray moved to Brattleboro in 1958 and was in practice until he retired in 1998. He cared deeply for the welfare of his patients and nothing pleased him more than to be greeted by them after he retired. He was active in local organizations and he served on the BUHS Board of Education for seven years. He was a past President of the Lions Club; a past Exalted Ruler of the local BPOE; a past President of the Vermont Optometric Association, and served two terms on the Vermont State Board of Optometry, serving as President in his last term.
Ray was an avid outdoor person and enjoyed gardening, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, golf, hunting and fishing. One of his youthful stunts involved skiing off the roof of his parents’ home during a particularly snowy winter. Ray loved music and knew the lyrics of many old songs. While driving his daughters to school, he would serenade them with show tunes and then try to convince them they were songs that he had written. Most of all, Ray enjoyed bringing laughter into the lives of his patients, family and friends with a seemingly endless supply of bad puns, humorous stories and shaggy dog tales.
Ray was predeceased by his brothers, Harry, Leo, Wilfred, Arthur, Ernest, Edward, William and Henry LaPlante; and his sisters, Eva LaPlante, Alice (LaPlante) Giguere, Diana (LaPlante) Webb, and Leona (LaPlante) Denis.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Darlene Blodgett LaPlante; his daughters Raelene LaPlante and Alison LaPlante Schoales; his son-in-law David Schoales; his granddaughters Molly and Emily Schoales; his great grandson William Burrall and his brother-in-law Dalton Blodgett. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Ray was much loved and will be deeply missed.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 9th with Fr. Justin Baker, Pastor, celebrant. Committal rites and burial will follow in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Dr. Rene R. LaPlante to The Gathering Place, 30 Terrace Street, Brattleboro VT 05301 (www.gatheringplacevt.org) or Thompson House, Attn: Activities, 80 Maple Street, Brattleboro VT 05301.
To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence please visit www.atamaniuk.com.
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