Lawrence "Larry" Potvin

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Lawrence Potvin lived a life of purpose while holding his loved ones near. He was a hardworking man who was never concerned with building wealth, rather, his focus was on helping others however he could in ways both great and small. Larry was a devoted family man if ever there one, and he felt so blessed to witness his family tree blossom to include the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who made his heart swell with pride and joy. Although he was a longtime resident of the Kalamazoo area, his heart was always in his hometown located within God’s country in the Upper Peninsula. Life will never be the same without Larry here, but his timeless legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow in his footsteps.

The 1930s were some of the darkest days we have ever witnessed as a nation as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, and things only went from bad to worse when a crippling drought covered our nation’s heartland for nearly two years. Despite the challenges around them, Arthur and Cecelia (Terrian) Potvin were filled with great joy as they announced the birth of the baby boy they named Lawrence A. on December 13, 1933, in Newberry, Michigan, located within the beauty of the Upper Peninsula. He was the older of two children in his family and was raised alongside his brother, Joseph M. His father worked for the Ford garage and was also the treasurer for the Newberry Fire Department while his mother worked in the kitchen of the State Hospital there in Newberry.

In many ways, Lawrence, or Larry as he was usually known, was a typical boy of his generation. He was known to get into his fair share of mischief at times including the time that he put an outhouse on the principal’s back porch and set it on fire! Larry attended local schools including Newberry High School where he played baseball. He did what other boys in the U.P. do for fun - shine deer and drink some beer! He always loved a good Yooper joke.

After graduating from high school in 1951, Larry moved down to Flint where he lived with some aunts and uncles initially. He later moved to Kalamazoo to work for the State Hospital around 1954. This proved to be quite fateful as it was there that he met the young woman of his dreams. Her name was Patricia Williams, and she was a junior at Kalamazoo Central High School with whom he was set up on a blind date. Sparks flew right from the start, and they soon found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to establish a life together, Larry and Pat were married on June 23, 1956, in Larry’s hometown of Newberry. Together they welcomed four children including Theresa, Julie, Joe, and Tim into their hearts and home. To support his family, Larry worked as a night stocker at Family Foods in Portage, and later at Family Fare in Vicksburg. Later in life, Larry was thrilled to become a grandfather and great-grandfather as these younger generations were the light of his life.

Although his family was always first and foremost in his life, Larry was always a bustle of activity. He was devout in his Catholic faith and attended St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church including for morning masses during the week. For years he enjoyed bowling, and he and Pat loved gambling together and traveled a lot, too. Every fall Larry and his wife went up to the U.P. for the beautiful colors, but no matter where they went they drove. He was an avid fan of both the Tigers and the Lions, and he enjoyed reading, primarily murder mysteries. His cats. Tigger and Pooh were treasured companions, and he loved eating at Yogi’s Restaurant so much that he often went twice a day!

All who knew Lawrence Potvin would agree that he had a huge heart. He was fun-loving with just the right amount of mischievous spunk mixed in, and he has been described as a cracker jack with a great sense of humor. Kindhearted, genuine, and social, Larry drew others near with ease. Deeply loved, he will never be forgotten.

Lawrence A. Potvin, of Schoolcraft, died on Sunday, September 13, 2015. Larry’s family includes his four children, Theresa (Craig) Sweet of Marcellus, Julie Stratton (Cheryl Hudson) of Three Rivers, Joe Potvin of Schoolcraft, Tim Potvin of Jackson; grandchildren, Gregory and Angela (Dave Michael) Descheneau, John (Jessica), Steve and Matt Stratton, Alex and Jenna Potvin, great grandchildren, Mariah, Jordan,Trinity and Isiah Stratton; brother-in-law, Roger Williams of Kalamazoo. Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia in 2007; parents; brother, Joseph M.Potvin in 2008. The family will receive friends on Wednesday 4-7 p.m. at Life Story Funeral Homes, 409 S. Main, Vicksburg (269-649-1697). A Rosary will be recited at Wednesday 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Martin Catholic Church, 5855 East W Avenue. Please visit Larry’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can share a memory or photo, sign his memory book online, or make a memorial donation to St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church.