Ernest J. LaBranche Sr.

Ernest J. LaBranche Sr., 84, died unexpectedly Thursday morning. Ernie was born in Agawam, the son of the late Ernest A. and Glorianna (Boulerice) LaBranche. He lived most of his life in West Springfield, attending the Old Memorial School and graduating from West Springfield High School in 1955, where he played Hockey and Football and was a member of the 1952 West Side High Peanut Bowl Team. In 1956 he attended the Porter School of Design in Hartford, until he was drafted to active duty in the USNR serving two years aboard the ice breaker USS Edisto, crossing the Artic Circle twice. After his military service he worked briefly for Third National Bank. In 1960 he was appointed to the West Springfield Fire Department, where he served for 30 years retiring in 1990. While on the Fire Department, he served many years as secretary of the W.S. Permanent Fireman’s Relief Association. In 1979 he was appointed District 6 Registrar for the Amateur Hockey Association and served two years as its treasurer. He was instrumental in registering all Western Mass youth hockey teams into the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States. In 1985 he supervised the National PeeWee Hockey Tournament at the Springfield Civic Center. In 1990, he was appointed Superintendent of the St. Thomas Cemetery in West Springfield by the late Rev. John T. Cain. In 1999 he became an associate of the Curran-Jones Funeral Home and worked part-time until his death. He was predeceased by his first wife the love of his life Eleanor (Bailey) LaBranche in 2003 and a brother Raymond in 1990. He leaves his current wife Patricia (Lapine) LaBranche, two sons Ernest J. LaBranche Jr. and his wife Beverly and daughter Brooke, Richard J. LaBranche and his partner Doreen Doe; a daughter Juliann Dow and her husband Jim and daughter Erin and son Thomas; two stepsons Michael Yanginski and Scott Yanginski and his wife Jill; six step-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A private service was held at the West Springfield Curran-Jones Funeral Home followed by burial in St. Thomas Cemetery. For online condolences please visit curranjones.com. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Project Healing Waters which will enable wounded veterans the opportunity to participate in fly fishing one of Ernie’s favorite pastimes.
https://projecthealingwaters.org/programs/locations/new-england/