Portland, ME- James Gregory LaRose, 91, died at his home on March 10, 2022. He was born 2/11/1931 in Portland, a son of John S LaRose and Sarah E. Hart LaRose. He was the youngest of six children growing up in the tight knit Federal and India Street neighborhood in Portland. Jim lived in Portland all his life and entertained his friends and family with stories of his youth.
As a young boy, Jim realized the value of hard work. He had multiple jobs during his youth and would always bring half of his earnings home to his mother, to help support the family.
Jim married Alice Jean Winslow in 1950 and had three children. Starting out times were tough. Jim worked three jobs to make ends meet. He worked full time at Standard Linen and then for National Biscuit delivering baked goods all throughout Maine and New Hampshire, perfecting his carpentry skills working nights and Saturdays with a local builder and Sundays at Fessenden St. market. His goal was to start his own company which he realized when he started Jim LaRose Builders.
Sadly in 1969 his wife Alice died. A few years later he met Terri Horan Dalton, also a recent widow and they married in 1971 joining his family with her and her children.
Jim realized his dream and built many homes throughout the greater Portland area. He was very proud of his accomplishments and of his journey from a poor child growing up in Portland. In Westbrook he built two multi-unit apartment complexes LaRose Gardens and Cricket Knoll. He eventually sold LaRose Gardens (which he always regretted) but kept Cricket Knoll and managed the apartments up until his death.
One of Jim’s childhood enjoyments was roller-skating. He had a job when he was around ten at the rink on Elm Street lacing up skates for tips. This allowed him to skate frequently. When Jim was in his sixties, he took up the sport again and along with his partner Glenda St. Pierre competed in skating championships throughout New England and the Midwest. He and Glenda won first place in 1986 with their routine.
Jim and Terri were able to enjoy many happy years traveling the US and Canada in the RV they bought, as well as going on multiple trips to Europe and on cruises. He was always talking about the great times they had. His favorite trip was one to the Greek Isles and Turkey which he was reminiscing about the day before he died. During his travels in the US and Canada he would stop into local hall of records and research his and Terri’s genealogy which he had a great interest in. He was able to trace his family back four hundred years. He also really enjoyed in recent years looking at the Facebook groups Old pictures of forgotten Maine and Portland Maine 1786-present. He knew the names of all the buildings and talked about how he went there or what he knew about it. Jim never forgot anyone or anywhere in his past. He amazed us with his memory for people and places. He recently connected with an old friend from his childhood, Agnes. and they would go to lunch, plays and events in the city weekly.
Jim told his oldest grandson “Isn’t it amazing how the harder you work, the better your luck gets.” This phrase had a significant impact on Matthew, and he credits his grandfather’s wisdom for his own success.
Jim was predeceased by his parents and siblings Francis (Stuart) LaRose, Margaret (Margie) Anthony, Catherine (Citta) Connolly, Bernadette (Junie) Huff and Marion (Queenie) Kierstead, first wife Alice, second wife Terri and stepson Brian. He is survived by his three children Jeanne and her husband Richard Murphy of Portland, Jim and his partner Kathy Ellis of Portland and Judy and her husband Charlie Fogg of Arundel, his stepchildren Bruce Dalton of Cornish, Greg and his wife Ann Dalton of Bar Harbor, Keith and his wife Joanna Dalton of Ludlow Massachusetts and Chris McQuinn of Omaha Nebraska. His grandchildren Erica Gailey Long, Seanna LaRose, Matthew, Ben and Chuck Fogg and step grandchildren Jonathon, Bradford, Stephen, Andrew, Logan, Cooper, and Blake Dalton, as well as multiple great-grandchildren.
Visiting hours will be held from 4-7 pm on Sunday, March 20, 2022, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland, where a funeral will be held at 10 am on Monday, March 21, 2022. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.
Please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Jim’s online guest book.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Maine Historical Society or Wounded Warriors Project