Obituary of Richard Donald LaBombard

Richard Donald LaBombard May 28,1930 to October 7, 2021 The news was shared with family that “the old man” passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours of October 7, 2021. His long presence in the lives of his family interrupted by the Lord’s plan to bring him home. The complex man who is our father is difficult to describe in a few paragraphs. Lovingly known to us as dad, grouch, old man, grandpa, or papa, he was a constant in our lives, but a somewhat distant and mysterious person. He had a creative mind and could build almost anything he imagined and was a constant dreamer of a better life for himself. He could also be opinionated and hold grudges but could also be flirtatious, easy to talk to, and fun to visit. He was also prone to a quick temper and could string together cuss words with a rhythmic cadence like nobody else, or create goofy rhymes or limericks to the amusement of his family. He approached people with ease and could engage in conversation with anyone as if he never met a stranger. He could be admired for always being brave enough to say what was on his mind even if it was uncomfortable to hear, although our mom was often his voice of reason. When he was open to talking, he would tell us stories about growing up with a pet rooster, his days in the army driving ambulance, chauffeuring generals, and meeting movie stars. He would tell stories about his adventures with his older brothers and riding motorcycles. He loved being on the road and he loved everything on wheels and worked most of his career in the trucking and road construction industry. He was arguably one of the best and safest drivers in the business. Always a scrapper by nature, he saw value in scrap metal and made extra money collecting and selling scrap metal or working on cars. It was typical to see dad in a dirty trucker hat, suspenders and a long beard. As a smoker for nearly 80 years he always had a cigarette in his hand, but he was rarely ever sick. Wild Irish Rose whiskey could put him in a singing mood and he had a beautiful smooth baritone singing voice. Born to Elizabeth Scheffer and Frank LaBombard on May 28, 1930 in Ecorse, Michigan, he was the fifth of six children. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Mary, May, Warren, Victor, and Audrey. He had a goal of living longer than his dad which he achieved by a couple of years. He was 91 at his passing. He married LeeVoice Jean Hamlin in 1960 and together they had Terry, Vivian, Vicky, Michelle and Rich. Later in life he met Delores Cook with whom he had his sixth child, Brad. He leaves behind nine grandchildren: Jamie, Terry Jr., Jeff, Michael, Jeremy, Matt, Zach, Noel and Addison. And seven great-grandchildren: Jacob, Ethan, Logan, Kaylee, Erick, Owen, Emily, and one on the way. His daughter in law Lisa also survives him. Per his wishes, his remains will be cremated and a memorial service for his family will be planned at a later date. Roll on Papa Smurf. We love you. Que sera sera. To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com Arrangements made with Cremation Society of Mid Michigan.