WESTFIELD – Francis “Spud” LaFrance, 77, of Buck Pond Road, passed away on June 27, 2014 at Genesis Health Care at Westfield Center. Born in Pittsfield and is the son of the late Henry and Grace (Harris) LaFrance.
He had lived in Westfield for over 54 years and had worked in local machine shops in many capacities for many years and then retired as a maintenance machinist from Savage Arms in Westfield. He was a Korean War Veteran serving with the United States Air Force as a Combat Air Policeman serving in Germany, France, and Africa. He had a passion for fishing, gardening, watching and feeding the birds and was known as Mr. Fixit, for there was nothing he couldn’t fix.
He leaves his wife of 54 years, Marion (DeGray) LaFrance; his daughter, Lisa Davin and her husband Timothy of Hatfield and several nieces and nephews. Besides his parents he is predeceased by his son, Steven LaFrance and his sister, Shirley Nutting.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Boucher-O’Brien Funeral Home, 7 Pleasant Street, Easthampton followed with burial with Military Honors at the Mass. Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Calling hours are Wednesday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
Donations in his memory may be made to Soldier’s Home, 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 or to Alzheimer’s Association.
