Gary W. LeClaire

Gary W. LeClaire, 72, of Iron Mountain, died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. He was born on April 26, 1944, the son of the late Raymond and Jeanette (Renning) LeClaire. Gary attended Iron Mountain High School and graduated in 1972. He married the late Patricia Farley on July 16, 1966 at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Kingsford. On October 20, 2000 he was remarried to Jodi Malm at First Presbyterian Church in Kingsford. In his early years, Gary and his brothers worked for their father at the family business, City Bakery. He then worked for Harlen Walters Standard Oil, Khourys, and Grede Foundry in Iron Mountain. He then moved to Milwaukee, WI where he worked for Heilerman Bakery, Cutler Hammer and Falk. He returned back to Iron Mountain and worked at G. Bertoldi and Sons delivering oil and doing furnace repair. He also worked as a Deputy Sheriff at the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department and was a candidate for Sheriff in 1987. Gary was well known by all the local teenagers at McDonalds, serving as a security guard. Gary then worked for Rust Engineering driving trucks and retired from Dickinson County Memorial Hospital as a maintenance technician in 2006. Gary was very active in his church and community serving in many capacities. These include: UCT, Knights of Columbus 3rd Degree, and American Martyrs Parish Council for 16 years of which he was President for 6 years. He also was an Elks Lodge member for 5 years. Gary's hobbies and interests were always tied to helping others by being an exceptional handyman, gadget man, alarm installer, and photographer/videographer. He is survived by wife Jodi, one son David (Cheryl) LeClaire of Fate, TX, one daughter Angela (Patrick) Ferrell of Peoria, AZ, one brother Ronald (Rosemary) LeClaire of Iron Mountain, two sisters Nancy (John) Patzke of Menominee Falls, WI and Cheryle Fredrickson of DePere,WI, one sister-in-law Kay LeClaire of Kingsford, two grandchildren Alex LeClaire and Caitlyn LeClaire, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife Patsy, two brothers Mark LeClaire and Ray "Peewee" LeClaire, and one sister Barbara (Bob) Peterson and an infant brother, Duane. Visitation will be Tuesday from 8:30-10:30am at Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 11 am at American Martyrs Catholic Church. Father Joseph Gouin will celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will be in Cemetery Park Wed. at 2:30 pm. Pallbearers will be Alex LeClaire, Mark LeClaire Jr., Pat LeClaire, Kenneth Coombe, Kevin LeClaire, and Gary Rochon. In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be established for Dickinson County Memorial Hospital. Condolences to the family of Gary LeClaire may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com. The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home with the arrangements.

Gary W. LeClaire

April 26, 1944 - September 1, 2016