Bruno LaVigne, age 100, of International Falls, Minn., passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at Allina Hospital, Buffalo, Minn.
He was born in Victoriaville, Quebec, on Sept. 5, 1911.
He was married to Eleanor Nyberg on Aug. 20, 1938, and to Olive McMicken on June 30, 1950.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Ce’dulie Le’Gare LaVigne in 1922; his wife, Eleanor in 1949; his stepmother, Anna Archambault LaVigne in 1958; his father, William Joseph LaVigne in 1967; his wife, Olive in 2003; his brothers, Benedict and Bennett LaVigne; and his sisters, Carmelle (John) Gergurich, Muriel (Ralph) Lepper and Bertha LaVigne.
He is survived by daughter, Sharon (Bruce Napper) Piekarski, Buffalo; son, Kenneth LaVigne, Princeton; granddaughters, Michelle (Dale) Ladig, Bemidji, and Melissa (Chris Hanson) Gaustad, Woodbury; great-grandchildren, Hillary (Adam) Heuton, Bemidji, AJ and Brett Gaustad, Woodbury, and Rachel Qualley, Bemidji; brother, Bert (Christina) LaVigne, International Falls; foster granddaughters, Elaine Varner, Karen Pedersen and Susan Howe, of Buffalo; brother-in-law, Myron (Lorraine) Nyberg, Cass Lake; sisters-in-law, Jeanette Barnas, Frankfort, Ill., and Etta Mae Guzick, Eagle River, Wis.; numerous nieces and nephews and many special friends.
As a young boy only speaking French, he arrived in International Falls from Canada. He learned the English language attending local schools through early high school when he went to work at Mando in the Falls.
He was drafted into the United States Army during World War II, and served at Pearl Harbor in a clerical position because he was an older father with two small children. He was honorably discharged in 1945 with a rank of Sergeant, and remained very proud of his military service.
He was a longtime member of the Machinists Union and served many years as secretary/treasurer.
He was the longest living member of the International Falls Moose Club and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Koochiching County Senior Citizens. He loved to dance, was a square dancer and caller and was very active in the Koochiching County Senior Citizens Organization helping to get the new center built. He liked to fish and was an avid deer hunter until he was 99 years old, then hunting with sons and grandsons of his original hunting partners.
A celebration of his life will be conducted Friday, June 15, at St. Thomas Catholic Church with Recitation of the Rosary at 10 a.m. and funeral mass at 11.
Interment will be at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery.
Memorials may be sent to St. Thomas Parish or Loyal Order of Moose in International Falls, Minn.
Condolences may be left at www.greenlarsen.com.
Arrangements are with Green-Larsen Mortuary Inc., International Falls.
