Husband of Hazel Irma Mitchell of Pikeville, KY. Son of Joseph P. And Lucy C. McDowell- LaFitte born in Mansfield, La. He was in the Navy as well as a merchant marine for Weyer Hauser . Then worked at their plant in Longview, Wa. as an tech engineer. He retired in 1969. Then when the oil shock happened . He was called back to operate the plant because they needed to use the old system to get through that hard period. He then once again retired. In the war he helped many doing supply runs for neighbors who didn't have a car. He was my mom's hero. He also helped another person to get in college.

He loved a good joke and loved more to pull a good joke on the unsuspecting .
He had a hard life growing up . His dad died when he was 12. He ran off for a while after that time never would speak of his reason. Though I suspect it could had to be that his mother remarried his father passed. That the step dad and he didn't see things alike. He was 2 nd to the youngest. After his youngest brother Cecil died. The family wasn't quite the same so it was relied to me through a cousin. She did say the Lafitte's did seem to have a temper.
I have no doubt about that.
Cliff or Grandpa as us kids called him had 2 daughters from his second marriage. First marriage ended fast when he learnt his wife slept with his shipmate.
Shortly after that he had met my grandmother who was actually engaged to someone else. Grandpa was so interestingly handsome and charming.
She fell heads over heels . They
Married on Valentine's 14 th February 1931. Same year had Hazel Jean . Following year had Anita Joan. Hazel Irma preceded him on 12 th August 1962 of gastric cancer. He remarried Gloria L. Schifer . With issues they divorced in 1979. But they loved each other . So agreed to work things out again. Remarried and to the end they loved each other . He loved her dearly and didn't want to be apart from her. I'm glad she was there for him. There was a marriage in between my grandma and Gloria. Her name was Dorothy Bond from Canada. She was a horrible to him and stole all that my grandmother had left behind for our family.
He had to end up selling the land and house he made . The land was from my great grandfather, Albert A. Mitchell.

My aunt instead of calling the police to track down Dorothy . She called them to hold my dad's anger from going into killing mold. I'm glad she did. I wouldn't have gotten to know him otherwise.
He was cremated and scattered in a private scattering with Gloria and her daughter Peggy Bauer.

He had salt in his blood, travelled the world from a young age and lived simple but worked hard all his life. He loved his family , adored his great grandchildren .
He also treated Gloria's daughter Peggy as his own. He lived and he lived as hard as he was stubborn. Foot note be . Every time a meme we passed . They sent him a book of memories. Before he passed he gave mom one of my great grandmother Lucy Carrie McDowell -LaFitte . Mom said when the book came.
He took it in the room and closed the door. No one would bother him. I have that book of his mother my great grandmother. I can see where there was years because the ink in a couple places is smudge. He loved his mother. No doubt about it.
It's been many years since he graduated on. When I think back I still see his infectious smile and dashing humor.
By golly seem to be his favorite phrase.
Lol. When I called him one year from Japan he told me the names of his brothers and sisters in order and was ardent that I know his grandmothers name was Caroline Ester Allen- McDowell. Not Carrie. I said ok. The next time I saw him. He repeated it. So I thought I better not mess the name's up.
Now I know where my mom got her precision for details from. Well, maybe a little. Because she too was a stickle for details. But, she's a whole other LaFitte ! Story for another memorial.