Obituary of Llewellyn W. LaPlante

Llewellyn (Lew) W. LaPlante Llewellyn (Lew) W. LaPlante passed away on December 20, 2011, in Shelton, at the age of 88. He was born in Tacoma on November 11, 1923, to David J. LaPlante and Evalina K. (LaVerne) Reed. Lew was in the CCCs in the 1940s, and joined the U.S. Army during World War II. He was in the Harbor Craft Co. as a Tech 5. He served on tugboats in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He was a long-time member of Moose Lodge 1905, American Legion Post 264, Teamsters Union, and VFW Post 01428. Lew was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He loved spending time with family and friends. He was opinionated and feisty but in a teasing way. We’re sure he is telling the angels to stop slamming the door. Lew sponsored three Vietnamese and Cambodian families who lived with his family as they went through the process of becoming Americans. Lew was affectionately known in the family as Choo-Choo Lew. As a boy of nine, with two other boys, they threw a switch on the railroad track and wrecked a train. They wanted the train to stop so they could go for a ride. Lew is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy; sons David Wilmoth (Pam) and Thomas Wilmoth (Becky), both of Tacoma; and daughters, Sharon Brocha (Terry) of Shelton, Margaret Terpening (George) of Auburn, and Joyce Wilkins of Bend, Oregon. He also leaves behind one brother, Allan LaPlante; three sisters, Yvonne Eintelman, Delores Smith, and Joan Callahan; 22 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, David LaPlante and Evaline Reed; two sons, Dennis LaPlante and Fred LaPlante; and two sisters, Aileen Kanton and Lavina Olson. Please leave memories of Lew or condolences for the family in the Guidebook below.