Barbara Jane Kelly LaPerch

Devoted Religious Education Instructor

Barbara Jane Kelly LaPerch, 74, a 50-year resident of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., died March 28 at her winter residence in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Mrs LaPerch was born in the Bronx, N.Y., on December 10, 1933, to Jane (Donar) and Robert Kelly.

She is survived by her husband, Alfred J. LaPerch, whom she married on June 5, 1954. She was the mother of seven children, including her son Michael J. LaPerch, Sr, his wife, Lucille, and their children, Michael Jr, Elizabeth, Meredith, and Julie, all of Newtown; as well as 11 other grandchildren.

Mrs LaPerch was first and foremost her children’s mother. She was employed by the Yorktown School District for more than 20 years and was an active community volunteer. She was a devoted communicant of St Patrick’s Church in Yorktown, where she taught religious education for many years.

She will be remembered for her infectious laugh and her bright blue eyes, as well as being fiercely proud of her Irish heritage.

Services were held at St Patrick’s Church and burial was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in New York.

Contributions can be send in her memory to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105-1905 or visit stjudeheroes.org/goto/LaPerch.

The Newtown Bee        April 4, 2008