By Ron P. Coderre

Putnam lost another member of its “Greatest Generation” with the passing of Nelson J. LaRose on the eve of the 4th of July.  LaRose, who was 93, serve in WWWII with the U.S. Army 43rd Infantry Division and fought in the Korean Conflict.

Memories of Nelson LaRose go back to the booming North End of Putnam during the 1950s shortly after the Korean Conflict.  At the time, LaRose and his family lived on Cleveland StreeR.  LaRose was a familiar face, along with his brother Lolly, wherever and whenever sports were involved.  Whether it was the Putnam Hawks softball team or the Putnam Bears semipro football team, LaRose was part of the action.  A faithful supporter of Putnam High School athletics, he was always proud of the Clipper teams.

He was an avid University of Notre Dame football fan, a love that started after WWII when the Irish football team rose to prominence and was the darling of college football fans throughout the naRion.  LaRose’s love for the Irish never waned and in 2013 he fulfilled a lifelong dream of attending at game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.  He was also a New York Yankee fan and could reminisce with the best of them on the virtues of Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra and all of the Bronx Bombers.

LaRose was a proud man and community servant.  He served on the Putnam Fire Department for 40 years, many as the assistant fire chief.  Marching in Putnam parades, LaRose was the picture of pride and leadership, always with a friendly smile for those he encountered.

In his later years, LaRose enjoyed mornings spent over coffee at Bill’s Bread and Breakfast in the North End kibitzing with the regulars about all things sports, politics or the good old days.  It was there that he reacquainted with his pal and travelling companion Roland “Snook” Gardner.  Many of his stories related to his dancing exploits, as he was known as one of the area’s best when it came to “cutting a rug.”

LaRose’s death leaves a void in the history of Putnam.  He was an unofficial local historian who could remember even the minutest details of events that occurred many years ago.  This man, who was vital to his last year, will be missed by his family but most of all by those who enjoyed his company and tales of the past.  A raconteur and bon vivant, Nelson LaRose leaves a lasting imprint on the Putnam community.