Father Theodore R. Laperle, 100, retired diocesan priest

Worcester – Father Theodore R. Laperle, 100, died peacefully March 18 with family by his side at Notre Dame Long Term Care and Rehabilitation Center.

Father Laperle was born in Worcester on August 12, 1924, the son of Hector F. and Mary A. (Hedge) Laperle. He attended Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School and South High School in Worcester.  He entered the Sacred Heart Seminary in 1942 in St. Victor, Quebec, Canada and then continued his seminary studies of Philosophy and Theology at the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Montreal, Quebec, Canada graduating in 1954.

Father Laperle was ordained a priest on June 5, 1954 by then Bishop John J. Wright in St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester.

A priest for 70 years, he served as an associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Winchendon; Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Webster; Assumption Parish, Millbury; Holy Rosary Parish, Gardner; and St. Francis Parish, Fitchburg. Father Laperle served as pastor of St. Denis Parish, Ashburnham and Notre Dame des Canadiens Parish, Worcester.

Father Laperle retired on November 25, 1985, but he continued to serve, providing pastoral ministry at St. Bernard Parish, Fitchburg until it’s closing in 2010 and then at the age of 86 he began assisting St. Joseph Parish, Fitchburg where he resided for many years.

He was invited by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary to celebrate daily Mass at Our Lady of Hope House of Prayer in Ipswich, New Hampshire. He continued this ministry for 36 years. Father Laperle said Mass every Sunday for the prisoners of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley and traveled monthly until the age of 90 to Brighton Gardens, an assisted living facility in the Archdiocese of Boston to celebrate Mass.

In the Year of the Priest, Father Laperle was featured as the "Circuit Rider of the Region."  In the Diocese of Springfield, he replaced pastors in Turners Falls, Greenfield, Northampton and Longmeadow.  In the Diocese of Manchester, he did ministry in Keene, Troy, Londonderry, Marlborough, Suncook and Salem. In the Diocese of Portland, he replaced pastors in Lewiston, Sabattus and Biddeford.

Father Laperle was called at a young age and tirelessly devoted his life to his parishioners and the Diocese of Worcester. In his little spare time, Father Laperle could often be found jogging. In 1978 he logged 2,065 miles, running 6 miles daily and received the Presidential Sport’s Award from President Jimmy Carter.

He is survived by a sister, Claire Halvey of Auburn; a brother, Paul Laperle and his wife, Kathleen of Spencer and numerous other family members, as well as his friends, Carol McDonough and Marline Crooks of Fitchburg and Domenic Zarella of Leominster. He was predeceased by three brothers, Brother Louis F. Laperle of the Sacred Heart Brothers, Armand E. Laperle and Raymond G. Laperle.

Visitation will be held on March 25 from 5-7 p.m. in Our Lady of the Angels Church, 1222 Main St., Worcester with a vigil service at 7 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Bishop McManus on March 26 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Angels Church. Burial will immediately follow in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester.

Memorial contributions in memory of Father Laperle may be made to the Retirement Fund for Religious, mailed to the Diocese of Worcester 49 Elm Street Worcester, MA 01609.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Alfred Roy & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Hammond St. Worcester. To share a memory or to sign the guestbook for Fr. Laperle, please visit royfuneral.com.