Gloria H. LaPlaunt-Graf

Gloria H. LaPlaunt-Graf, 90, of North Fort Myers, FL, completed her long journey to her Lord & Savior on July 7, 2023 surrounded by her loving family at Transitions Assisted Living in Gladstone, MI. Gloria was born February 22, 1933 in Kelden, MI to Oscar & Grace (Castagne) Benoit. Her mother passed when Gloria was only 12 years old, resulting in her staying with her older sister and begin working at a very young age. Her short childhood created a very independent & head-strong young woman. She later met & married her ‘handsome hunk’, Bernard (Bun) Joseph LaPlaunt, on November 25, 1950 in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Their love story lasted 45 years until his untimely passing in 1995. Gloria later married Gerald Graf in Fort Myers, FL & their loving adventure lasted 10 years until his passing in 2007. Gloria was an impeccable homemaker and also waitressed at many restaurants in the Escanaba/Gladstone area, including Highland Golf Club, Log Cabin & Elmer’s Restaurant, where she was known as ‘Mrs. Clean’ with the motto ‘If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!’ She created the most beautiful wedding & birthday cakes, especially her daughter’s 5-tier wedding cake. She was an accomplished seamstress & loved to knit, crochet & quilt. She entered her beautiful Poppy Quilt in the 1990 UP State Fair & won Grand Champion. Gloria cherished her Catholic faith & was a member of St. Therese Catholic Church in North Fort Myers, FL. She loved to bowl & follow her two sons’ & grandson’s hockey games and cherished her extended hockey family. She most recently loved rooting for her great-grandson Noah’s baseball games.

Gloria is survived by her 3 children, Bernard Lee LaPlaunt (Jill Gerondale) of Menominee, Debra Lynn (Charles) Peterson of Gladstone, and Lawrence Todd (Lisa) LaPlaunt of Bolingbrook, IL; her 5 grandchildren, Bradley Peterson (Brittany Smith), Colby LaPlaunt (Kathryn Wiley), Megan LaPlaunt (Bryan Thiel-Cygan), Paige LaPlaunt (Justin Gould), and Kyle LaPlaunt; great-grandsons, Truwyn LaPlaunt and Noah Peterson; sisters-in-law, Myrna Wilson, Donna LaPlaunt, and Rochelle Benoit; along with many nieces, nephews, and close friends in Michigan & Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; her son at birth, David; and siblings, Mary Ouellette, Bertha (Coullard, Leo) Fortin (Fred), Bernadette (Wesley) Hoath, Mae (Alex) Carrier, Frank (Cora) Ouellette, Eugenia (Jerry) Desormeaux, Albertine (Edward) Moiles, and William Benoit; along with her favorite niece, Virginia (Robert) Carlson; father and mother in-law, Wilvy and Grace LaPlaunt; brothers and sisters-in-law, Lorne and Wanda LaPlaunt, Eugene LaPlaunt, Brian and Pat LaPlaunt, Laura Wood, Wilma McVarnish, Grace Ann and Edward MacArthur.

Visitation will be held at the Anderson Funeral Home in Escanaba from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at St. Thomas the Apostle Church at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday. Internment will take place following Mass at Gardens of Rest Mausoleum, where Gloria will be laid to rest next to her beloved ‘Bun.’ A luncheon will be held at the Gladstone Yacht Club from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to UP Health Systems Hospice of Escanaba or Hope Hospice of North Fort Myers, FL. The family would like to thank the compassionate and caring staff of Transitions Assisted Living in Gladstone & UPHS Hospice, especially Jill, Charlotte, and her absolute favorite Cheeta. She loved all of you!

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