Richard F. (Dick) LaPorte Born: August 28 1922 Died: January 18 2007 Richard F. (Dick) LaPorte 84 passed away January 18 2007 in Smyrna Georgia. Graveside services under the direction of North's Funeral Home will be held Saturday at 2:00 P.M. January 27 2007 at Elmwood Memorial Park with Scott Mayer of Heavenly Rest Episcopal Church officiating. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 12: OO P.M. at 1405 Tanglewood Drive Abilene Texas Mr. LaPorte was born in Almont Ontario Canada raised and educated in Detroit Michigan. A veteran of WW2 Dick served as a combat medic with the U.S. Army liberating Buckenwald Prison Camp and managing Graves registrations in Germany. He was recalled during the Korean War with the U.S. Air Force and assigned to Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth Texas. After an honorable discharge he settled in Abilene Texas with his wife Patricia and daughter Michelle. For 47 years Mr. LaPorte and wife Pat owned and managed physicians hospital and convalescent supply and manufacturing companies serving the medical communities in West Texas. He was an active member of the Rotary Military Affairs Committee and Treasurer of the American Surgical Trade Association (ASTA). He also served as a consultant in the design and construction of the original hospital at Dyess AFB Texas. Mr. LaPorte was the recipient of the Distinguished Performance Award and Board Director of the ASTA "Service Above Self " Award from the Rotary and listed in Who's Who in U.S. Executives. After retirement in 1997 Dick and Pat moved to Smyrna Georgia to live with daughter Michelle and granddaughter Courtney. LaPorte worked part time at Sears Outlet volunteered with the Emory Senior Program and was active in a WW2 veterans group and senior center. He volunteered as a deaf interpreter at hospitals in Abilene Texas and Smyrna Georgia. He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia. He is survived by his daughter Michelle LaPorte Hailey and his granddaughter Courtney Ann Hailey both of Smyrna Georgia. Family may be contacted at 770-432-0461 and requests in lieu of flowers memorials be made to a favorite charity. Online condolences may be made at www.northsfuneralhome.com