Bill LaRoque

Former Libby resident John (Bill) W. LaRoque, 95, died Dec. 30, 2004, at his home in Missoula.

He was born on March 8, 1909, at Dodson, to Toby and Louise Kline LaRoque.

John started working on a cattle ranch in the Farenough area of Montana when he was 14 years old.

He then started working construction, employed on the Fort Peck Dam where he learned to operate heavy equipment.

He married Clara Beaudry on Nov. 23, 1936.

John continued to work at Fort Peck and began working for the Civil Service.

He was involved in numerous projects such as dams, prisoner of war confinement camps and military air strips.

After the war he returned to the construction industry as an ironworker.

John worked on the Boeing plant, the Alaskan Way viaduct, the Space Needle and the Libby Dam, his last major project before retiring.

He was preceded in death by five sisters, eight brothers, a son Charles and three grandsons, Calvin, Linc and Tom.

Survivors include his wife Clara, Missoula, children Lena (Sissy) LaRoque, Missoula, Joy Scott and her husband Lloyd, Libby, Carol Jean LaRoque, Missoula, John LaRoque, Missoula and Jack LaRoque and his wife Barbara, Coeur d¹Alene, Idaho, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Services were conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.

Visitation was from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday with Rosary at 7.