Rainy Lake Houseboats: Losing a Close Friend Hurts

Losing a Close Friend Hurts

My wife Cathie and I learned on May 24, 2012 that my friend Guy LaFrance passed away in Loveland Colorado. Sadly Guy took his own life shocking us all. Guy’s parents Buzz and Gloria lived in International Falls along with my parents. We all moved to Hoyt Lakes about the same time in 1958. Guy and I were childhood friends, we lived only ten houses away from each other on Arlington Road.

Once we were old enough for school I found out Guy would be going to the Anna Keefe Grade School and I would be going to Boese School. I was not very accepting of this at kindergarten age but managed. We played sports together as youths and on into high school. We had a lot of fun growing up together, maybe a little too much at times. Guy’s parents moved to Aurora, MN and built a home across from the White Community Hospital. Hoyt Lakes and Aurora are five miles apart with the high school for both towns in Aurora.

Aurora-Hoyt Lakes was a wonderful place to grow up. Friendships were close and long lasting. Guy always had a smile and an easy laugh. A loving person, he was so in love with Linda, almost made a fishing and hunting nut like me jealous. I always wondered if I would ever meet a gal that would that would spur my loving feelings. I am thankful to the lord for that did happen to me, my wife Cathie and I are in our 32^nd year of marriage.

I was not able to attend Guy’s memorial service in Aurora. A Norm Westerhold a friend and customer from Chicago passed away on October 6, 2011. Norm's wife Sue sent some of his ashes to be spread on one of his favorite Rainy Lake haunts with his fishing partners on their annual Rainy Lake Houseboat trip. Guy's and Norm's Memorials were scheduled on the same day. I have to say it was one of the toughest days I have experienced two close friends lives being celebrated but not being at both was extremely difficult.

Not having closure is a very difficult situation to overcome. I gave a lot of thought about the close friendships I have with the guys who grew up in Aurora, and how lucky I am to have those. I thought what a better way to spend some time together, talk and laugh about Guy than to get together and toast Guy. I called Pat Bloomfield and the planning began to gather together on a houseboat and spend three days at the end of September with our high school friends Rick Erickson, Jon Hakala and their wives.

I will write about the trip in three segments, it was an experience to be shared with all as the man looking down upon us gave us a time to be treasured forever.

Rick and Jane Erickson, Jon and Joanne Hakala, Pat and Pat Bloomfield met us at Rainy Lake Houseboats on Friday morning September 28th. We loaded the houseboat with our belongings and were quickly on our way up Rainy Lake.

The colors were beautiful, the weather fairly sunny, a very pretty back drop on the way up the lake.

Pat Bloomfield

Pat Bloomfield, Jane Erickson, Rick Erickson, Cathie Dougherty

Jon Hakala

We drove through Brule narrows, took a route down through Kempton Channel and moored at Idle Hour Bay.

Idle Hour Bay Houseboat mooring site

After landing we had enough time to go enjoy the remainder of the afternoon with a little fishing excursion on the reefs near Blueberry Island. The afternoon turned absolutely spectacular, warm weather, totally flat water, and some decent fishing.