Lawrence A. Champagne

Lawrence A. Champagne, age 100, died Nov. 13, at Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma.

Lawrence A. Champagne, age 100, died Nov. 13, at Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma.

He was born April 3, 1921, in St. Adolphe, Manitoba, Canada, to Marie (Lemieux) Champagne and Albert Champagne.

He moved to the Grays Harbor area in 1925, attended elementary school in Oakville and Satsop, and graduated from Elma High School in 1939.

In 1942 he joined the Navy, serving with the Seabees in the Aleutian Islands and later in the Pacific until his discharge in 1945.

He married Jane (Murray) Jameson in Montesano in 1946. She preceded him in death in 1999.

From 1946 until retirement in 1978, he was employed at Pacific Northwest Bell. Following retirement, he and a friend were partners in a cabinet shop for five years.

He enjoyed golfing, fishing, clam digging and bird hunting.

A longtime member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Elma, he volunteered to care for the cemetery and brought Holy Communion to the homebound. He also was a member of Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Telephone Pioneers of America.

Survivors include numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by one brother and four sisters.

A funeral Mass will be Thursday, Dec. 2 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, preceded by a viewing on Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Harrison Family Mortuary in Aberdeen. A graveside service will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Elma.