September 5, 1928 - May 15, 2023
Donald Lawrence LaVoice, passed away peacefully at home, at the age of 94+ on May 15, 2023. Our dad had a zest for life and loved his family more than anything!
Don followed in his own father's footsteps and was a proud U.S. veteran. He served in Germany, as a soldier in the army, during the Korean War era. Sang in USO shows. Prior to enlisting, he met our mother, Elizabeth Ahern, aka Betty, at a roller-skating rink and roller-danced her into his heart. They were married for 51 love-filled years and brought their family up in West Springfield, MA. Don was lucky in love because he then met Eileen Chambers and they were married for 18 years before his death.
Don grew up in Springfield, MA.He proudly graduated from both American International College (AIC) and Western New England College (WNEC) with his master's degree in business administration (MBA). He worked as a chemist and then at 40 years old went on to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), retiring at 85 years old.
Don was a handsome, fun-loving man, with a boisterous laugh and a smile that would light up a room. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved comedy shows (he was an extra on the Will & Grace TV show, twice!) and writing his own jokes. Don's voice was smooth like caramel. He taught himself to sing by listening to crooners on the radio. Don enjoyed singing love songs, emceeing at beauty pageants, and entertaining in variety shows that he wrote, produced, and directed in Enfield, CT, The Meadows in Sarasota, FL and at his community in Garden Lakes, Bradenton, FL.
Don was an avid tennis player, rode his bike, played Scrabble with his kids, and walked his beloved dog, Susie, well into his 90s! Traveling with family, playing chess, solving daily cryptograms, Sudoku, and crossword puzzles, eating chocolate, collecting stamps, running investment groups, following professional football, organizing co-workers to build homes for in Sarasota, and enjoying his cats playing are just some of the things that made him happy.
We feel so proud and lucky to have been blessed with Don as our father, grandfather, and great grandfather and he will be greatly missed, forever. Don is survived by his wife Eileen, his four children: Donna DeFant (and husband Peter), Diane LaVoice, Richard LaVoice (and wife Patricia), and Dorothy Bernard (and husband David); his eight grandchildren: Corrie Evangeliou, Ryan Bernet (and wife Laura), Michael Bernet, Lauren Howard (and husband Chris), Olivia, Billy, Jack, and Bobby LaVoice; and his four great grandchildren: KJ Evangeliou, Owen, Ayla, and Emma Bernet.
A veteran's memorial service at the National Cemetery of Sarasota will take place on Friday, October 6th at 10:30 a.m. Cars will line up starting at 10:15 for the motorcade to the commital shelter. In lieu of flowers, donations to in Sarasota located at 2095 17th St, Sarasota, FL 34234, would be greatly appreciated.
