Obituary: James Laplander

As received from the Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Homes:

James H.E. (Jim) Laplander, 88, a resident of Woodside Lane in Dollar Bay, went peacefully home to his Savior with his family by his side Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at his son’s home in Lower Michigan following a lifelong battle with polio.

Jim was born on April 11, 1932 in Dollar Bay to the late Emil and Mary (Olson) Laplander, the youngest of 10 children. He was raised in Woodside and graduated from Dollar Bay High School with the class of 1951. He had worked for the Copper Country Dairy before moving to Detroit for factory work.

Jim returned to the Copper Country where he owned Standard Oil Gas Station in Hubbell and worked at Quincy Reclamation for 3 years. On June 2, 1956, he was united in marriage to the former Loretta Eakin. Jim later attended college at Suomi and graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Teaching Degree. Mr. Laplander began a career teaching a Chassell Schools retiring after 20 years of dedication. He lived most of his life in Woodside, at the place of his birth, building a home and raising his 4 children with his loving wife of 64 years.

Jim was a member of Bethany Baptist Church in Dollar Bay. He and Loretta had a music ministry praising God through song and he enjoyed snowmobiling and woodworking.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers Richard, William, Robert and Paul and his sisters Julia Benny, Alli Jokie, Ruth Smith and Margaret Hosking.

He is survived by his wife Loretta of Dollar Bay

His children: James H. (Karen) of Savannah, GA

Richard (Kathy) of Dollar Bay, MI

Connie (Dino) Mandoli of Ishpeming, MI

Steven (Cheryl) of Perrinton, MI

Jim is further survived by 6 grandchildren: Jason (Adria), Kailee, Heather (Luke), Jesse (Marissa), Adam (Natasha) and Erin, numerous great-grandchildren, his sister Martha (Howard) Maddox of Durango, CO, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Private Funeral Services for Jim will be held on a later date at Bethany Baptist Church in Dollar Bay with Pastor Brian Knight to officiate.

Family will greet friends on Thursday, January 14th, 2021 from 5 to 7 pm at Bethany Baptist Church in Dollar Bay.

To view Jim’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Home of Hancock is assisting the family with the arrangements.