Richard T. Laurent

Richard T. Laurent, age 90, of Greenville, passed away Monday, September 16, 2024 at Corewell Greenville Hospital. Born on December 19, 1933, the youngest of ten kids (nine boys and one girl) to Fred and Jennie Laurent of Cadillac, he lost his father at the age of two and was largely raised by his beloved sister Mary and as a tag-along with his brothers while Jennie struggled to run the family dry cleaning business and keep her boys out of trouble. By his own account he twice nearly drowned in Lake Cadillac. Nobody knows how many other scrapes he barely avoided as he and his brothers roamed the streets of Cadillac. Enrolled in school at age four to provide his mother some relief, Richard's early school years were at St Ann’s in Cadillac where he also prayed for four of his brothers fighting the war in Europe and the Pacific. Later, at Cadillac High he played football, basketball, and tennis, and met the love of his life, Marjorie Jean Robbins. In 1950, as a scrawny and scrappy 135 lb backup QB, he helped preserve the football team’s 26 game undefeated streak and state championship by subbing in and throwing two touchdowns against Ludington to win the game. He attended Western Michigan University on a tennis scholarship, where he also excelled at table tennis, and married Marjorie soon after graduating. After Richard enlisted in the Army, the newlyweds briefly lived at Ft Lee, Virginia before being mustered out as a first lieutenant with the wind-down of the Korean War. He began his teaching career in Morley where he and Marge started a family and Richard finished a Masters degree in education administration from MSU. For ten years, in addition to teaching, he also drove the school bus, coached basketball, baseball, and football at both the varsity and JV levels at Morley High, becoming the principal during that time. In 1966 the young family of five moved to Greenville which became home for the remainder of his life. Within a few years the family grew to eight and Marge ran the house while Richard served the Greenville Middle School as principal for 27 years, retiring in 1993. His calm and caring nature positively impacted countless students, their parents, and his own staff, among which he developed many enduring, warm, lifelong friendships. After retirement he recommitted himself to coaching, serving as coach to the JV GHS girls golf team for 17 years. But as in all things, he was much more than just a coach, offering support not only of their golf swings but also advice, care, and support to help them grow, develop and reach their goals in school, in their relationships, and in life. In addition to teaching and coaching, he served his community largely through St. Charles Church and School where he helped lead the church community by serving on various committees and in the Knights of Columbus. Known as Toot (as in Tootsie Roll) to his family, and RT or Dick to friends, he enjoyed golfing and “stag night” at the country club, chatting with anyone who needed a listening ear, playing and/or teaching a heated round of euchre, delightedly providing a play-by-play of the most recent U of Michigan or Tigers game, playing (or calling) bingo games, belting out a line of an old Nat King Cole tune for his family and close friends, and helping others discover life lessons or sharing a joke or a drink. Though he will be missed, he will be long remembered by family and friends for his laugh, his empathy, his advice, and his devoted love for Marjorie and the family they raised together. Richard is survived by his children James (Betty) Laurent of Belmont, MI, Mary (Edward) Ekleberry of Greenville, MI, Joseph (Amy) Laurent of Ada, MI, Steven (Anne) Laurent of Los Alamos, NM, Amy Laurent of Denver, CO, and Michael (Anji) Laurent of Longmont, CO; 14 grandchildren; six great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Marjorie in 2006, sister Mary, and his eight brothers Leland, Kenneth, Howard, Frederick, Max, Douglas, Gerald and John. Funeral Mass will be 11 AM Friday, September 20, 2024 at St. Charles Catholic Church, celebrated by Fr. Jim Wyse. Visitation will be 5 to 7 PM Thursday, September 19, 2024 at the Marshall Funeral Home, Greenville, and from 10 AM until the service at the church on Friday. If you would like to honor his memory through a gift, please consider the organizations that were closest to his heart: St Charles School, Greenville Girls Golf, Varsity Sports at Morley Stanwood High School. Also consider taking time to support, coach or mentor a child in your community. Arrangements are being handled by the Marshall Funeral Home, Greenville, with complete obituary online at www.marshallfuneralhomeinc.com where you can leave a message of condolence for the family.