Donald R. LaBrode, 66, of Acushnet passed away at home on March 14, 2021 surrounded by his loving family.
He is survived by his wife Donna (Mayer) LaBrode. Last year they celebrated their 47th year of tireless and dedicated love. Donald was born on January 7, 1955 in New Bedford to the late Myles Louis LaBrode and the late Deolinda (Amaral) LaBrode. He was a resident of Acushnet for his entire life residing in the family home originally built by his grandparents. Donald’s source of ceaseless joy was his family, which consists of three children, Julie Bosworth along with her husband Thomas of Dartmouth, Eric LaBrode along with his wife Rebecca of Westport, and Elizabeth Leifheit along with her husband Gareth of Avon, MA. As “Puppa”, he adored his six grandchildren: Logan and Hadley Bosworth, Taylor and Eleanor LaBrode, and Emin and Alder Leifheit. Donald was the youngest of four siblings and is survived by his sister Margaret (LaBrode) Rapoza along with her husband John of Sarasota, FL, his brother Myles LaBrode along with his wife Elizabeth of Taunton, MA, and his brother Paul LaBrode along with his wife Claire of Leland, NC as well as his brother-in-law Donald Mayer and with his wife Janet of Mattapoisett.
Donald was an avid sailor, captaining his beloved Dove and later Honeybee, out of Padanaram harbor on the waters of Buzzard’s Bay and beyond. The friendships he made through boating were true and enduring. Donald was a long-standing member of the New Bedford Yacht Club. Brodie, as he was affectionately known, worked as a Pepperidge Farm distributor for forty-one years until his retirement in 2017. He traded driving the bread truck for long rides in his 1967 Mercedes coupe. Donald had a knack for making people feel welcome and comfortable; that was never more true than on Sundays by the pool when family and friends would gather for fantastic food, conversation, and music. He always enjoyed relaxing with a book and looked forward to a new selection arriving from his cousin Michael.
His life will be celebrated this summer by family and friends in true Donald fashion under a tent in the field he so proudly tended at 188.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Southcoast Visiting Nurses Association, 200 Mill Road, Fairhaven, MA 02719. For guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
