Lawrence R. "Pete" LeClair, Sr.

Lawrence R. “Pete” LeClair, Sr., 78, died Saturday, August 25, 2018 within a year of diagnosis of brain cancer at a Sioux City care facility. A Funeral Mass will be 10:00 A.M. Thursday, August 30, 2018 at Cathedral of the Epiphany Parish St. Boniface. Visitation will be Wednesday, August 29, 2018 from 4 to 8 P.M. with family present from 6 to 8 P.M. with Vigil and Chalice services at 7 P.M. at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. 

He was born in Sioux City on November 20, 1939 to William and Lucy (Holbrook) LeClair. Pete was the youngest of eight children, his older brothers gave Pete his nickname when he was a baby and it stuck with him for life. Pete attended school in Sioux City and graduated from Central High School in 1959. He then graduated from WITCC in Auto Body Repair. Later in life he graduated from Boiler 1 and Boiler 2 courses.

Pete was raised in a family of avid bowlers. He started bowling at age 20 and continued throughout his life. Now his nieces and nephews have taken over with many scores of 600 games and trophies. Pete married Amber Hensel in August 1965. They were blessed with three children. Their marriage ended after eighteen years.

Pete met Patricia (Carda) Evans in the spring of 1982 and married July 31, 1983 and remained married for 35 years until death they parted. Pete and Patricia “Pat” became a blended family of five children. The “Brady Bunch”.

Pete was employed through various employments, Hoak Oldsmobile, Carpets Inc., Wheelchair Transportation, custodian and boiler man for many years at First Lutheran Church, St. Boniface and school, First United Methodist Church and Sioux City PACE.

He was a man of service in Sioux City. He volunteered for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children). Pete received an award from Governor Branstad for his service to CASA in the early 90's. After retiring, he was a volunteer Hospice a few years, Senior Companion at PACE. Pete was also a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church and a 4th degree Knight of Columbus for many years. He was respected by all the Knights who served with him.

Pete was an avid reader and enjoyed bowling, horseshoes, cribbage and camping. Pete and Pat enjoyed traveling the country and made sure to attend Elvis week in Memphis, Tennessee for many years. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan as well as a Cubs baseball fan. He and his son Larry never missed a day talking on the phone about the Hawkeyes or how the Cubbies were doing.

Pete is survived by his wife, Pat; sons, Lawrence “Larry” Jr. and his wife Rhonda, Jerald LeClair, and John Evans and his wife Carolyn; daughters, Sherri (LeClair) Hays and husband Bryan Hays, and Debora (Evans) Peterson and husband Larry; 12 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Pete was preceded in death by grandsons, Christopher Scott Evans, 8 months old, Jerald “JJ” LeClair 21 years old, and Daniel Weikart 30; his parents; and seven brothers and sisters. Pallbearers will be Tim LeClair, Gary LeClair, David LeClair, Jim LeClair, Phil Jorgensen, John Jorgensen and Randy Jorgensen. Honorary Pallbearers are his sons, Larry LeClair, John Evans and Jerry LeClair.