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Article 72 of 146
This article first appeared in the "Valley Lives" column in the October 23, 2024 issue of the The Low Down to Hull and Back News.
Reprinted with permission. Search complete list of Low Down Articles.
o o o
Richard Laroque
Chelsea biz owner remembered for kindness, humour
Former Chelsea Auto Wreckers owner was coach, mechanic, bus driver
by Simon Hopkins
Richard Laroque loved giving back. Whether it was fixing a transmission in Chelsea, coaching local sports or safely driving kids to school in Low, Rick could always be counted on.
"He was always willing to go the extra mile," said Jaymie Laroque, speaking about her late father.
Richard died in Wakefield on Sept. 25, just two weeks before his 75th birthday.
In the early 1970s, Rick moved his family to the Hills and took over his father's business, Chelsea Auto Wreckers. He ran the business for 16 years before leaving to move his family north to his hometown of Low.
Rick's little sister, Lynn, said he knew how to run a business with compassion. She said he knew when to lend a hand or a favour to someone in need - even reducing the price of a service when needed to serve his community.
Jaymie recounted stories of her dad teaching his kids' friends about tools and cars in his garage.
"He was very focused on young people getting educated and really being happy in life," she said.
After moving to Chelsea with his family, Rick coached and sponsored youth sports. Jaymie said he was involved in everything from broomball to softball.
Rick continued his community service after leaving Auto Wreckers and moving to Low in 1989. He drove school buses and sweeper trucks, always finding ways to get his hands dirty on an engine or in the cab. He retired when he was 68, and Jaymie said he enjoyed his time relaxing at home. People, she said, would frequently stop by to say "Hi" or seek advice from her father. Rick also sang in a band called Scallywag, enjoying music in his retirement.
Lynn said she remembers her brother being just as warm as a young man as he was in his older years.
"Rick had the most friends because he didn't put people down," she said, adding that she told her other brothers after Rick's funeral that he was the nicest brother - and they all agreed. Lynn said Rick was a role model to those around him, including his own siblings.
"Dale [Rick's youngest brother], when he brought his buddies home, they just looked up to Rick," she said. "It's like Rick really became a mentor."
And then the family met Suzanne, Rick's best friend and wife of over 53 years.
"We remember being at the house and Rick came around and was introducing his girlfriend, Suzanne," Lynn recounted. "And we just kind of looked and blinked, like, ‘Where did you find this one?'" Lynn joked. "She walked in and was an absolute beauty queen."
The pair waited until they were both 21 and were married a few days later.
Lynn was 13 at the time but remembers the wedding well.
"I have never been to a more fun wedding [in] my entire life," she said, adding that the party continued until 5 a.m.
"They were the nucleus of our family," Lynn said about Rick and Suzanne. The warmth of her brother, paired with Suzanne's cooking, made their home the centre of every Laroque family holiday.
Rick was the second-born in a big family. There are 10 years between the four Laroque siblings: two years between the eldest pair, Bruce and Rick; then a six-year gap before the birth of the younger two, Dale and Lynn, who are two years apart. Their half-sister, Louise, is the youngest. Their parents met in northern B.C. before moving to Manitoba, where Rick was born.
Rick's father was a francophone in Quebec, according to Lynn. He served in the Air Force during the Second World War and moved across Canada. He met Rick's mom, who was from Alberta in Fort St. John, B.C. After their first two sons were born, the family returned to Low, where the others were born. Rick followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a young man. He was discharged after a couple years following a jeep rollover accident.
She said he never stopped giving - even when he would take his mechanics down to the race track to support his brothers in a race; he'd make sure anyone who needed a hand with their car got some help.
"He was a great guy," Jaymie said. "I was lucky. Couldn't have asked for a better dad."
Rick is survived by his wife, Suzanne; his four children, Jayson, Jaymie (Laura), Jessica (Benoit), Jonathan (Christine); and six grandchildren. The family asks for donations to the Wakefield Memorial Hospital in lieu of flowers.