This web page is dedicated to the memory of Mike LaRocque, Van Nuys legend, husband of Lynn, father of Joey, Jackie and Jeff, United States Marine Corps Viet Nam combat veteran, executive Vice President for Daum Commercial Real Estate Services, and stalwart Caribou Club member, who passed away on Sunday, February 19, 2012, at age 65, after being diagnosed with lung and bone cancer only ten days earlier.

A memorial service for Mike took place on Sunday, March 4, 2012, At Calvary Community Church
5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village, CA 91362-4084,

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mike's name to:

UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center OR

Vietnam Veterans of America.

Please send E-mails or photos to the Caribou Club with your thoughts and remembrances of Mike to Gene Meyer or Terry Coultas the email addresses below. We never remove these postings from the website, and the families of the deceased Caribou Club members very much appreciate your input.

geneventura@sbcglobal.net

or

terrycoultas@gmail.com

Here's Mike's obituary in the Daily News.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ladailynews/obituary.aspx?n=michael-larocque&pid=156223192

Click below for text of one of the speeches given at Mike's Memorial service

Mike LaRocque Memorial

Tom Campbell, Mike, Paul Atkinson, & Jeff Meyer

Caribou Camp out, 2006

 Jackie Mike & Lynn

(I wonder who his favorite team is)

Joey & proud Dad

Next stop - Agoura High

then onto Oregon State and the NFL

In the 1950's when I was attending St Elisabeth Elementary School in Van Nuys, I was an altar boy, and once in a while, I served mass with Mike LaRocque. Mike was a year younger, in my brother Jeff's class. We all struggled through Latin, Communion plates, lighting candles, and we laughed  at the cassocks they made us wear.  But we jumped through the hoops and graduated successfully from elementary school.

    I went on to Notre Dame High School, Mike went onto Van Nuys. I don't know if anybody knows, but Mike also went on to be the president of the Avengers, one of the toughest gangs in the San Fernando Valley. I may not have to tell you this, but in those days, to be the president of a gang, you didn't get votes; if you were able to beat the shit out of every other member, then you were president. That is how tough Mike LaRocque was. (It also probably didn't hurt that he was smarter than any of the other guys in the Avengers). One night in high school, I ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, in the middle of an impending fight between rival gangs. I had no business being there and thought I was going to get beat up when Mike walked up, took me aside, and said, "How you doing?" I said, "Fine." He said, "What are you doing here?" I said, "I don't know." and he said, "See you later." He saved my butt, and I'd like to think it was somehow a good deed because we were altar boys together.

     About seven or eight years ago, I reconnected with Mike when he came to an annual campout for the Caribou Club, which is actually a childhood group who sticks together, mostly because we can't find new friends, (Ha Ha). But we all had the chance to get to know Mike's family, Lynn, Joey, and Jackie.

We're all going to miss Mike: family man, Marine, workhorse, Avenger, and old friend.

Gene Meyer

Above, Caribou Club members Jeff Meyer, Tom Campbell, Paul Atkinson, Ken Furlano, Gene Meyer, And Mike LaRocque get together at a campout in Ventura in 2008 and hold a piece of Avengers Memorabilia

Above, Birthday party, Van Nuys, 1957. This photo was submitted to the Caribou Club Website by Mike LaRocque, pictured top right, (with party hat), and includes many of Mike's contemporaries, such as Joey Payette, (bottom left), Kenny Furlano, (bottom center laughing), and other badass little league friends.

I started writing this letter as if I didn't know of Mike, meeting him only recently. But then I stopped writing, to take time to review his Caribou web page. I then went to his page and after seeing his childhood picture I remembered him distinctly as the little prick that hung around with my younger brother, John. You see, I was all of three years older than Mike, and that was a lot then, so that made me a bad ass. Then about six years ago Mike came to one of our Annual Caribou camp outs and we became reacquainted. Through a conversation     (actually alcohol induced bullshit)  we found that our backgrounds were very similar. Starting with the USMC as being a major factor in both our lives. We were both Marines (can't say X Marine) and both outspoken right wing,conservative, reactionary pigs, we got along great and meet at several other occasions.
The last time I saw Mike was at a Caribou party in Santa Monica, and I think Mike finally realized I was the Dickhead older Brother of John, subsequently Mike albeit already aggravated by some liberal Hawaiian we were talking to, suggested he was going to rip my head off and piss down my windpipe.
I respected Mike and sincerely wish I could have known him longer and have more time to share our mutual thoughts. He served his country in uniform and under fire, not many can say that, not many have. I sincerely hope Mike is treated better after leaving here, than he was treated when coming back from Viet Nam.

Simper Fi, Mike

Terry Coultas

Left to right: Mile (The Rock), Kane Healy and Dennis Watson, Jeff Meyer is lower lower right probably watching a Video!

Childhood friends

Gary Sortino, Mike, and Tim Donnelly

hanging with Mike's daughter Jackie at the

2008 Caribou Club Campout.

Mike La Rocque and I became friends during eighth grade at St. Elisabeth School, he needed someone lame to hangout with. Mike lived on Firmament St., just south of Sherman way. The new San Diego Freeway was under construction at the time in his backyard. We would go up on the roadbed when workers weren't around, causing all sorts of hell, it's a wonder the project was ever completed.

Also in his backyard he had constructed a three or four story clubhouse, inside there was a great collection of girlie magazines along with a cache of cigarettes he pilfered from his parents; he was my “manhood” mentor.

Freshman year in high school we attended Alemany, having classes together. Neither one of us were great students. We would hitch hike back and forth to school, sometimes Mr. Diaz the science teacher would give us and another guy a ride in his Renault. Mike took up two thirds of the backseat, I was crushed in the corner.

Sophomore year I went back to Alemany, and Mike went to Van Nuys H.S. A couple years later I saw Mike at Bobs on Van Nuys Blvd., he had a glazed look, I don't think he recognized me; considering the guys he was with, that was for the best. I didn't know about the Avengers at that time.

I have a lot of good memories of Mike, sorry to hear that he is gone.

John Coultas

Yuma, AZ

I can understand why Mike's son made it in football. It may have been only 8th grade, but big Mike played lineman and I remember he opened up huge holes for me and other backs to run through. One of the toughest guys in grade school BUT one of the nicest.

Jim Ciufo

Click below to see some of Mike's professional accomplishments

http://www.daumcommercial.com/agents/80/Michael-LaRocque.aspx

The following letter was submitted to The Caribou Club by Mike, giving us an update

Thought you’d like to know the results from last weekend’s nail biter regarding Joey and the Bears. They carried an original roster of over 80 Players and had to be at 53 by Saturday afternoon. Joey survived Day 1 and most of Day 2 and was one of the last to get the dreaded call to the Coach’s office. It came down to him and the 3^rd string QB.

The good news is that he was immediately signed to the 8 man Practice Squad. The Head Coach told him he is an injury or other situation away from coming back on Special Teams or at Linebacker.

After the initial disappointment, we all realized that he’ll still be getting a paycheck from the Bears and will have an opportunity to showcase his skills on a daily basis. In many ways, this may be a better opportunity for a Rookie and we feel confident that he will get his chance to shine.

All the LaRocque’s would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and good wishes. We’ll be in touch as soon as there’s anything new to report.

My best for now, Mike

(Below is a press release from the Bears and Pro Star Sports Agency-his Agent)

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Five players the Bears waived during final cuts Saturday were signed to Chicago’s practice squad Sunday: Defensive end Ervin Baldwin, offensive tackle Cody Balogh, linebacker Joey LaRocque (right), tight end Fontel Mines and guard Tyler Reed.

Mines and Reed spent last season on the Bears’ practice squad, while Baldwin and LaRocque were both selected by Chicago in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Balogh signed with the Bears in April as an undrafted free agent from Montana.

The Bears still have three spots open on their practice squad.

“Joey had an outstanding 2008 training camp and preseason for the Bears (jersey #90) at both LB and particularly on special teams. He played in all 4 preseason games, notching 2 defensive tackles vs. Cleveland (PS4) and a tackle on punt coverage in both the Seattle (PS2) and San Francisco (PS3) games.”