Jack LaFond

Dellas "Jack" LaFond, 70, of St. Anne, passed away Saturday (Jan. 10, 2015) at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee. Visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Clancy-Gernon-Houk Funeral Home in St. Anne. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Anne Catholic Church, with the Rev. James Fanale officiating. Burial will be at St. Anne Catholic Cemetery in St. Anne. Memorials may be made to the family wishes. Jack was born June 17, 1944, in St. Anne, the son of Wilburn and Bernice (Koenig) LaFond. Jack married Dianne Bertrand on Aug. 22, 1964, at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Kankakee. He was a welder for Kankakee Truck Equipment and delivered flowers for several gladioli growers in the Wichert area for many years. In past years, he served as lieutenant of the St. Anne Fire Department, where he portrayed Santa Claus every year, and he also received the St. Anne Fireman of the Year award. Jack was a member of St. Anne Catholic Church and was one of the members who started the church's Lenten fish fry with his fish recipe. He was a fourth-degree knight with the Knights of Columbus and very active in the St. Anne K of C Council 5081, where he served as grand knight. He managed the bar with his wife, Dianne, for several years at the St. Anne parish hall. He was the original St. Anne Pumpkin Festival clown "Nozo" on his pumpkin orange golf cart. Jack loved his family, being with his friends, his motorcycle and his dog, Buddy. Surviving are his wife, of St. Anne; two daughters, Amy LaFond, of St. Anne, and Tina (Mark) Bowers, of Beaverville; three grandchildren, Marcus Bowers, of Bradley, Randy Bowers, of Beaverville, and Wendy (Daniel) Villafuerte, of St. Anne: and great-granddaughter, Faye Villafuerte; three brothers, Stanley (Mary) LaFond, of Wappapello, Mo., Richard (Deloris) LaFond, of St. Anne, and Daniel LaFond, of Golconda; three sisters, Cheryl Stalnecker, of Mesa, Ariz., Pamela LaFond, of St. Anne, and Cindy Nicholson, of St. Anne. Preceding him in death were his parents; his in-laws, Roman and Cecile (Benoit) Bertrand; great-grandson, Connor Villafuerte; infant sister; two brothers-in-law; one niece; and one nephew.

Jack LaFond

June 17, 1944 - January 10, 2015