Urban Joseph LaCross passed away on Saturday, May 5, at Suttons Bay Medilodge (formerly Tendercare), with many family members comforting him by singing old-time songs, praying, and reminiscing. He was born on Nov 11, 1922, at the family farm on French Road, Lake Leelanau, the last of 13 children to Joseph and Jennie (Ducheney) LaCross. His grandparents, Charles and Philamena (Gauthier) LaCroix were immigrants from Quebec, Canada. As the baby of the family, Urban was spoiled by his mother and doting older sisters. He attended the one-room schoolhouse, Star School, and fondly remembers skiing to school. He later attended St Mary School then worked on the family farm.

In 1940, at age 18, Urban joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, planting pine trees in Kalkaska and living in camp there for 17 months, as part of Roosevelt's New Deal. The money he earned helped support his family back home during the depression.

He was inducted into the US Army Infantry in March 1943 during WWII, and became an interpreter since he was fluently bi-lingual, with French-speaking parents. He had corresponded with and dated Alfreda Florence Horn of Northport, so while home on leave before his European deployment, they married at the Rectory of St Mary, Lake Leelanau on Jan 3, 1944. There was a lively reception afterward at Dan's Power House bar. Urban and Alfreda were married for 71 years before her passing in November 2015.

The newlyweds lived for a time in Oklahoma, where Urban received orders to serve in Europe. Alfreda returned home to live with both her and his families, and gave birth to their first son Jeffrey. In the meantime, Urb served in France, Belgium, and Germany. He had to learn to transition from speaking "Provemont" (former name of Lake Leelanau) French to Parisian French. His skills were used in interpreting between hospital patients, soldiers and staff in the Army's 198th General Hospital in Paris and also for court martial trials.

During his service, Urban earned the Victory Medal and various Theater Ribbons, as well as good conduct and meritorious unit awards. He was honorably discharged in 1946. After his military service, Urban became a founding member of the Lake Leelanau Veterans of Foreign Wars post, and was twice commander. He was very dedicated in his work and support of the VFW, or "VF" as he called it.

When he finally returned home, Jeffrey was 17 months old. Another son Glenn was born later in 1946. Urb worked various jobs to support his family, finally joining his wife in working at the Traverse City State (Psychiatric) Hospital for 25 years. He and Fif built their dream home on property with beautiful frontage on Lake Leelanau, along with maintaining two rental cottages. He retired at age 55, which meant time to pursue his passions of restoring old tractors and equipment, and reselling them with his "wheeling and dealing" style. He was extremely patient, clever and resourceful at fixing anything for his family, whether it was a broken tool, household item, or patching a pool floatie multiple times.

Urban was a faithful parishioner of St Mary, serving as Eucharistic Minister, hauling picnic tables for the annual summer Festival, raking and disposing of cemetery leaves annually, and even transporting the original steeple bell downstate, seeking repairs to the crack.

Urb felt blessed to be able to live all his life in Leelanau County. He loved to snowmobile, fish in all seasons, and hunt, especially during November deer season. Playing euchre and drinking homemade wine with his buddies and nephews (who were his age due to his much older siblings) made for many knee-slapping guffaws and loud teasing. He and Fif spent retirement traveling to many areas in the US, Canada, Hawaii, Europe, and wintering in Gulf Shores. Their hospitality knew no bounds with years of entertaining family and friends, which included Fif's great meals and Urb's grilling the steaks (always came out "too done" for his taste). "Raw hamburg", a French tradition of steak tartar, was his favorite, along with a "darn good drink"!

Being a child of the Depression, he always made sure he had two of everything just in case, be it tools, lightbulbs, toothpaste. He helped his two sons in countless ways, from assisting in building Jeff's house to hauling hundreds of loads of cherries for Glenn. His grandsons Jesse, Joe and Ben never hesitated to ask Papa to help with anything – they knew he'd be there in a heartbeat with his pickup adorned with the vanity plate "Top Cop", an homage to his favorite TV show "Cops". He doted on his two granddaughters, Suzanna and Maria, never having had a daughter of his own. He would ask Suzanna "What do you know, Sis?" since she was the "sis" of the family, or call Maria "Marie", as his French pet name for her. In his elder years, his eleven great grandchildren were the sparkle that brightened Papa's days during their visits at Medilodge.

Urban is survived by his sons Jeffrey and Glenn; their wives Jean and Judy whom he treated like his own the minute he met them; grandchildren Jesse LaCross (Melanie Schaub), Joseph LaCross, Suzanna (Jonathan) LaCroix, Benjamin (Kelsey) LaCross, and Maria (James) Okorn; and the eleven sparks in his eyes -- Lane, Luke and Adeline LaCross; Isabel, Louie and Oliver LaCross; Harper LaCroix; Keaton, Lauren and Cameron LaCross; and Lydia Okorn.

The family extends much gratitude to the staff and caregivers of Suttons Bay Tendercare (now Medilodge) for their amazing tender care of Papa for all these past years.

The LaCross family will greet friends at the visitation for Urban at St Mary Church, Lake Leelanau, on Thursday, May 24, 5-8pm, with the Rosary prayed at 7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated also at St Mary Church by Fr Bryan Medlin on Friday, May 25, at 11am, with visitation one hour prior. A luncheon will follow. Burial will be in St Mary Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to St Mary School Endowment, PO Box 6, Lake Leelanau MI 49653.

Please share memories online at reynolds-jonkhoff.com

The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.