Wayne Donald LaPorte, Sr.

 



Wayne Donald LaPorte, Sr  went to be with his Lord peacefully surrounded by family on Thurs, August 11, 2022 just shy of his 88th birthday.  He fought a very valiant year long struggle  to regain strength and health after breaking his neck.

Wayne was born to Reginald and Grace Preston LaPorte, in Graniteville, VT on Sept 6, 1934 the third of four children.  He served in the US Air Force and even though he refused to give oral book reports in High School because he didn't want to speak in front of a class, the Air Force made him an instructor in the autopilot and refueling 'in air' techniques. He married Judith Sawyer in 1955 and they spent 67 years together.  He lived in IL, CA and Japan, but always knew NH was  home. When he was sent to Japan, Judy joined him shortly. He and Judy traveled extensively in Japan, all 50 states and 9 foreign countries.  They especially loved Alaska ,visiting 4 times  for extended stays and Hawaii three times.

While he was in the Air Force,  he discovered that he was a natural teacher and when his tour of duty duty was finished, he transferred easily to instructing  scuba diving . After working in the garage for his mother for two years, he started LaPorte's Diving and eventually LaPorte's Contracting. He started  diving in 1957 and dove continuously until very recently. Wayne was a Master Diver, a certified scuba diving instructor, first being certified through Northeast Council of Diving and an officer in that group which was instrumental in getting diving started in the Northeast, then by PADI, Professional Association of Diving Instructors. He was an instructor with them for 40 years. He held various offices in the Lake Sunapee Skindiving Club, which he and Judy started.  He was a fireman for years, working up through the ranks to chief, then when time was a constraint, slowly working back down through the ranks until he eventually retired.

He was predeceased by his parents, a brother, Richard, and by a sister, Eloise  LaPorte and a half brother, Reginald Jr..  He is  survived by his wife, Judith Sawyer LaPorte, his  daughter, Teriko LaPorte MacConnell, Newport and her significant other, Stergios Spanos;  a son, Wayne Donald LaPorte, Jr. and his wife Kate Culverhouse, Salisbury, MA and three beloved grandchildren:  Bryanna MacConnell and Danielle MacConnell of Newport, and Kainoa Culverhouse of Middletown, RI and by his sisters, Vivian Brown and  half sister Margaret Rychesky, and by his sister-in-law, Joyce LaPorte.  He was an amazing Dad and Grampa.  His family was everything to him.

He was full of energy, had a wonderful impish sense of humor, was funny and lovable and took delight in jokingly 'bugging' his grandchildren..  He even teased the nurses during his many stays in the hospital. He was always willing to help anyone . He and Judy opened their home to several teen age boys  through the years who were in need of a place to call home.  Everyone who knew him loved him. 

He could fix anything and loved the contracting almost as much as the diving.  He was hard working and kind. He was an expert carpenter, a licensed Master Electrician and a licensed Master Plumber. He and Judy built a good many of the docks on Lake Sunapee, working in the ice and water in winter. They did repairs to all 3 of the Lighthouses here on the lake. He and Judy worked together 24-7 for many, many years.  Not many couples can contend with doing that, but they loved the arrangement.

He loved the outdoors, was an excellent hunter getting his deer in NH every year and frequently in Maine and Vermont too.  He and Judy flew with his brother to hunt and fish in Northern Canada, getting moose and caribou and huge pike and trout, camping out in total wilderness.

He and Judy used the maple syrup house that had belonged to Judy's parents and made maple syrup in the Spring.  They invited their children's classes to make field trips to see how syrup is really made. The children gathered and sampled the sap directly from the trees, then watched the whole process to finished syrup.  Judy's mother always brought sugarless doughnuts to go with ample samples of the just made, hot maple syrup for every student.

He raised a filly and trained her well.  When he entered the Air Force he gave her to a man who took her to become New England's champion jumper in her class.

They dove under the ice right before midnight on New Year's Eve and came back up after midnight, seeing the New Year “IN” under the ice for 60 years. When their children were old enough they began to make the dive too and eventually the grandchildren joined the dive..  Some years a lot of the Lake Sunapee Diving Club joined them – as many as 15 one year.  That meant a lot of supervision for Wayne and Judy and one of them was always last one out of the water to account for everyone.

He was a member of the South Newbury Union Church.  He and Judy used to be “clean-up” crew for dinners for years.  Judy would help Gail Bostic with the dinner then when it was almost the end of serving time, Wayne would come to eat with her and they would stay to do all the final cleaning, wash and vacuum the floors, etc.

He will be cremated and there will be a celebration of life at South Newbury Union Church on   Monday, August 22 at 11:00.  Refreshments will follow in the Friendship House.  Burial will be private with just the family. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the South Newbury Union Church.