John “Jack” LaFrance, 91, of Bristol, beloved husband of Claire (Zaniewski) LaFrance, died on Monday, Nov. 6, at Shady Oaks Assisted Living. Jack was born on July 2, 1932, in Hartford and was the only child of the late Jerry and Doris (Galvin) LaFrance.
A lifelong Bristol resident, he graduated from Bristol High School before serving in the United States Army. Jack was known for his warm, friendly, positive, engaging spirit; and his casual, easy, joking style was a lifelong attribute.
Jack was a career firefighter for the City of Bristol retiring as Deputy Chief in 1994. He often said he did not work a day in his life because of his joy of being a fireman. He considered his fellow firemen his extended family. Jack also worked at St. Joseph Cemetery for over 30 years.
He was a big fan of the Red Sox, UConn basketball and Notre Dame football. In his home, he could always be located in his chair in the den, with a 700-page biography or a newspaper in his lap. Outside the home, Jack could be found puttering around in “his truck” going from one helping hand project to the next, or shuttling a relative somewhere. Jack was a parishioner of St. Gregory the Great Church for over 50 years and a regular at 7:30 am Sunday mass for most of that time.
Jack regrettably leaves his wife Claire after nearly 68 blissful years of marriage; Claire and Jack were an inseparable team of parents, grandparents, and care givers for their extended family. Often providing a place to stay during interim periods that happens in life. Their shared generosity and caring was a constant source of comfort for their family.
In addition to his wife; “everybody’s Grandpa” is survived by three children: Peter LaFrance and Michael LaFrance of Bristol, and Jim LaFrance and wife, Janis, of Farmington and Oro Valley, Ariz.; brother-in-law Ben and sisters-in-law Mary and Kathy Zaniewski; five grandchildren: Katie Lucca, Nicole Vrablic (Stephen), Danielle LaFrance, Kelly Kant (Bryan), and Jake LaFrance; seven great-grandchildren: Brody Beiswanger, Shane and Emma Lucca, Kaiyah and Livianna Fournier, Caleb Vrablic, and Ada Ann Kant; and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by daughters-in-law: Lori LaFrance and Christine LaFrance, and great-granddaughter Nataleigh Porter.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Nov. 13, at 12:30 p.m. at St. Gregory the Great Church, 235 Maltby St., Bristol. Burial, with military and Fire Department honors, will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol.
Relatives and friends may call at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave, Bristol, on Monday between 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Please visit Jack’s memorial website at www.FunkFuneralHome.com.
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.