header 1
header 2
header 3

In Memory

Louis Schuyler LaPierre - Class Of 1945

 

1945 Louis Schuyler LaPierre III

Nov. 17, 1927 - Mar. 18, 2016

SOUTH BEND - Louis Schuyler LaPierre III passed away peacefully on March 18, 2016, while residing in North Woods Village retirement center in Mishawaka. Louis was born on November 17, 1927, to Louis LaPierre II and Minnie Gertrude (Jacquith) LaPierre in South Bend.

Lou lived most of his life in South Bend and, while growing up, he was actively involved in school sports, church and Boy Scout activities. In scouting Lou earned his Eagle Scout merit badge (through the sponsoring First Presbyterian Church) and enjoyed spending his summers at scout camp, Camp Bryan, in Michigan, where he served as waterfront director. While in high school at John Adams, Lou participated in basketball, baseball, and was elected Vice President of his senior class. Over the years he has served on the organizing committee for Adams Class of 1945's many reunions.

Following high school, Lou attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. While there, he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Economics. After graduation in 1949, he joined the General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY, and participated in the company's management training program. While in New York, Lou was a member of the Edison Club softball team and the traveling basketball team called “Clem's Clippers.” The team sponsor, Clem, was a local barber who cut the hair of the team's players and traveled with the team.

On July 8, 1950, in Zion Evangelical United Brethren Church, Lou married his high school sweetheart, Mary Grace Erhardt, and together they took up married life in Schenectady. In time 3 sons, Keith (1952), Mark (1954) and Frank (1958), were born to the couple.

After a few years in New York with General Electric, Lou and Mary moved to Bloomington, IL, as Lou was assigned to one of the company's appliance plants. In 1955 Lou made a career change and accepted an opportunity to work with Dodge Manufacturing in Mishawaka. At Dodge Lou was an accounting manager and soon became assistant company Treasurer. Later in his career, Lou became active in the distributor relations and education department for Dodge. Eventually, Lou retired from Dodge in 1988 and began his career in personal financial planning. In that capacity, Lou worked for 1st Source Bank and TCU. While with TCU, Lou helped to establish the organization's stand-alone retirement department.

For vacation Lou enjoyed several weeks every summer on the shores of Lake Michigan in Lakeside and Union Pier. Family and friends would frequent the LaPierre cottage and enjoy Lou and Mary's hospitality of golf, beaching, dining and sing-alongs. For the song fests, Lou would supply the song sheets and Mary would play the ukulele. The Lake Michigan vacation tradition still continues as Lou's sons and their families regularly head to the lake in the summer for a couple of weeks.

Lou also enjoyed traveling with Mary to foreign countries. Together the two saw the sights of England, Western Europe, Canada, Greece, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean. Occasionally, Christmas cards were exchanged as a result of friendships that were made on these trips.

Following his retirement from TCU in 1992, Lou continued his pursuit of his “hobbies”: the many local service organizations that he enjoyed. Over time, Lou served as president of the Mishawaka Rotary Club, president of SCORE, president of the South Bend YMCA board, board member of the St Joseph County Mental Health Association, a member of the South Bend Community Schools foundation advisory board, a board member of Healthwin Hospital and a member of the South Bend Rotary Club. In addition, Lou has been an active member of First Presbyterian Church serving as elder, usher and as a longtime member of the church's successful softball and basketball teams.

As for athletics in his later years, Lou enjoyed his golf, handball and tennis. In tennis he was a proud member of the MADFATS. His “just for fun” social organization was Goose & Duck in which he shared many enjoyable social times with his father, Louis II, Mary and his sons.

Lou is survived by his wife of 65 years, Mary, and his 3 sons: Keith LaPierre of Granger, IN, Mark (Kathy) LaPierre of South Bend, IN, and Frank (Dawn) LaPierre of Edwardsburg, MI. His five grandchildren include Lauren LaPierre of Highland, IN, Thomas LaPierre of Granger, IN, Lou LaPierre IV and Madeline LaPierre, both of Edwardsburg, MI. Lou's younger brother, Chuck LaPierre, passed away in 2015. Chuck's wife, Cheri, and son, Charles (Amy) LaPierre, survive and live in Coatesville, IN. Other surviving children for Cheri and Chuck are Laurie Linton, Mark (Karen) Linton and Brian (Laurie) Linton. Also surviving and living in Barrington, IL, are Lou's sister-in-law, Virginia Noyes, nephew, Bill (Colleen) Noyes, and niece, Mary Ann Burke.

A memorial service for Lou will be held at First Presbyterian Church in South Bend on Wednesday, March 23rd, at 11:00 AM. His family will receive friends for viewing between 4:00 and 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 22nd, at Welsheimer Funeral Chapel at 17033 Cleveland Rd. in South Bend.

The LaPierre family would like to thank North Woods Village and Harbor Light Hospice for their care and concern for Lou during his final days. Also, the family thanks St. Paul's Sanctuary and The Hearth for their care and concern for Lou in previous years.

Contributions in Lou's name may be made to the St. Joseph County Mental Health Association, SCORE, and to the First Presbyterian Church of South Bend. Family and friends may leave e-mail condolences at www.welsheimer.com.

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/southbendtribune/obituary.aspx?n=louis-schuyler-lapierre&pid=178115518&fhid=24905&eid=sp_ommatch#sthash.J9jJ67Hu.dpuf