Laurence 'Al' Jacques, 82
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Laurence Allen "Al" Jacques, 82, of 41 Johnson St. died Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at North Adams Regional Hospital of complications from prostate cancer. He served on the North Adams Conservation Commission for more than 25 years and was a longtime tree warden.
Born in North Adams on May 9, 1929, son of Francis Leward and Pauline Belanger Jacques, he attended North Adams schools and was graduated from Drury High School in 1948. He was an All-Western Massachusetts football player during high school. He received his associate's degree in forestry from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture in 1950. He also played football in college, where his coach said he was "every coach's dream of a football player."
An Army veteran, he served in Germany from 1951 to 1953, during the Korean War.
Mr. Jacques first worked for the state Department of Natural Resources, beginning a lifelong career in the outdoors. He then went to work for the former Kelly Hardwood Corp. of Pittsfield, and in later years for the former Potvin Lumber Co. of Stamford, Vt., and the former Krutiak Wood Products, among others.
On June 28, 1958, he married the former Eileen Marie Fenton of Holyoke at Blessed Sacrament Church.
He was a lifelong communicant of the former Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur Church until its closing, when he joined what is now St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish. At Notre Dame, he served as a Eucharistic minister, was a member of the Parish Council for many years, a member of the Centennial Committee, and was on the Bingo and Mardi Gras committees.
All his life, Mr. Jacques was an avid deer hunter and accompanied by his father, sons and cousins. He mentored many younger hunters including his own boys and their friends. He was passionate about Notre Dame football.
Besides is wife of 53 years, he leaves two sons, Lawrence A. Jacques of Port Henry, N.Y., his son, Allen, Christopher F. Jacques of Epsom, N.H., his wife, Kristin, and their daughters Kelly and Courtney; and a daughter, Cathleen M. Beke of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, her husband, Michael, and their three children Emily, Christopher and Matthew.
His brother, Edmund, died in 1940.
FUNERAL NOTICE — The funeral for Mr. Jacques will be Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10:15 a.m. from Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11 from St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Friday, Sept. 16, from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Jimmy Fund in care of the funeral home.