Roland Lafleche

Roland J. Lafleche, 80, passed away April 24, 2011, at his stepdaughter, Flora, and Roberts home in Chandler. He was born in Castleman, Ontario Canada, to Albert Joseph and Rose Marie Dagenais Lafleche on Aug. 31, 1930. Roland and his wife, Flora, lived there since 2004 when Roland became ill and they could no longer live in their own home. Roland is preceded in death by his parents, Albert Joseph and Rose Marie; sisters, Jeanette and Yolande; and brothers, Richard and Jean Guy. Survivors include his wife, Flora (nee Sanchez); stepdaughter, Flora Aguilar (Robert), their children, Robbie (Susan), and grandchildren, Alexander Socrates and Ryan Augustus; Michealla (Michael) and grandchildren, Savanna Quinn and Gannon Diego Heslin; Paul (Dee) Perez and grandchildren, Tyler James, Pablo Cody Madelyn Wilma and another baby due in October; stepdaughter, Catalina (Stuart Ryan) and their children, Cody (Breanna) and Dennee, grandchildren, Brandi and Brae Lynn, U.S. Army Ranger Staff Sergeant Tyler (Leah) Dennee and their child, Isabella Rosa; Bianca (David) Garrobo and their children, Micah, Nevaeh and Angel; stepdaughter, Robin (Leonard) Frederick and their children, Laci Marie (Ian) Allen, Levi ( Shelby) and babies, Leonides, Lincoln and Lane. Landis Mathew preceded Roland in death and is now in heaven. Roland is survived by his biological children, daughter, Lisa (Greg) Burke and their children, Jesse and Christopher, and his children, Samantha and Alex; sons, Gaeton, Louie, Claude and Yvan. Roland was a lumberjack in Canada at a very young age. He then worked in the mining industry in Canada and later came to the United States. In the 1960s, he worked in Grants, N.M., mining uranium and later in Safford, mining copper. In Safford, he met Flora, and they married in 1973. They started a hog farm and worked night and day, mostly by themselves. Rarely did they hire outside help. They traveled to California to market their hogs. They sold the hog farm in 1996. Mom stayed home, and Roland couldnt take it sitting down doing nothing so he became a handyman until he had the misfortune of falling off of a roof. He was air evacuated to Good Samaritan, where he spent many months healing from all his injuries. As time passed, his lungs became a big problem, and he had a very hard time breathing. He was diagnosed with restricted pulmonary disease attributed to all the years of working in the uranium mines (underground). This was before the United States government put in place rules and regulations about wearing masks, having blowers and other safety precautions. It took its toll on him little by little. The U.S. government compensated him by providing 24-hour nursing care, seven days a week, since October 2009 until he breathed his last breath. He was very blessed; he had five real great nurses. They worked 12-hour shifts, and they truly took good care of Roland and loved him. His nurses were Louise, Valie, Misty, Kelly and Joe. When he was in the hospital and Flora (step-daughter) could not be with him, they would take turns visiting without being asked or compensated. They are truly the angels of mercy. Rolands hobbies included word seek puzzles, watching wrestling, repairing whatever needed repairing and reading one book after the other. Robert, Roland and Flora always traded books to read. His wife didnt quite get into the reading like they did. The family will receive friends at the Caldwell Funeral Chapel on Sunday evening from 6-8 p.m. with recitation of the Rosary at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the St. Rose of Lima Church on Monday at 11 a.m. Burial is at the Sanchez Family Cemetery.