Col. Robert John Laflam Sr., 88

SANBORNTON — Col. Robert John Laflam died peacefully on Nov. 7, 2019, in Concord.

He was born on July 24, 1931, in Laconia, son of Alice Guimont and Arthur Laflam of Belmont. His mother, Alice Marie, brought him up in the Catholic faith which was an important foundation for his life. He was thankful to have been born in a small town where he developed a great love of the outdoors with fishing, trapping, tapping maple trees, and making maple syrup mainstays of his childhood. Grounded by his family, faith, and community, he left Belmont for West Point, the United States Military Academy, and later received a master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois.

He began his career in the Unites States Army assigned to the 97th Signal battalion in Boeblingen, Germany. He went on as an instructor in applied communications and electronic warfare at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Later he served as the Battalion S-3 Operations Officer in 13th Signal Battalion, 1st Calvary Division, Korea. He was Senior Signal Advisor to the lII Corps, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Other assignments included Senior Signal Advisor and Force Development Advisor to the Chief Signal Officer, and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Force Development, Imperial Iranian Ground Forces. Upon returning to the U.S., he finished his service as Director of Force Modernization Integrated Logistics Support for the U. S. Army Communications Research and Development Command and Communications-Electronics Command, respectively, at Fort Monmouth. During his tour in Vietnam, he was awarded the Purple Heart. He retired as a colonel after a distinguished 31-year career.

He noted that the greatest joy in his life was to meet Margaret (Peggy) Bowman on the steps of the Officers Club at Panzer Kaserne in Bobligen Germany. Peggy would become the love of his life. “She is a saint in heaven and was the answer to my prayers.” They were married for 50 years before her passing in 2006.

After retirement, he continued to serve his country as representative to the N.H. House of Representatives for two terms. His lifelong love of the environment led him to serve on the State Public Water access advisory board, the Squam Lake Public Access Trust Board of Directors and the conservation commission of Sanbornton. He noted, “while I served all over the world in a multitude of assignments, there was always a common ingredient, and that was people. I had a great love for my troops and the people that served in my commands. And in general, I found that, if you love people, they love you right back.”

Col. Laflam was an active parishioner of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Tilton, and a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by a loving family, including daughter and son-in-law Nanette and Ross Bevan of Chevy Chase, Maryland; daughter and son-in-law Elizabeth and Todd Smith of Spokane, Washinton; son and daughter-in-law Dr. Robert and Maureen Laflam of Concord; son LTC David Laflam of Augusta, Georgia; son and daughter-in-law Dr. Paul Laflam and Dr. Monica Garin-Laflam of Roanoke, Virginia; and 13 grandchildren, Andrew, Rosemary, Renee, Michelle, Rebecca, and Margaret Laflam, Maxwell, Theodore, and Pryce Bevan, and Katherine, Emma, Bowman, and Albert Ridinger; sister-in-law Catherine Parella of Arcadia, Florida; and first cousins who were like his brothers, Paul Laflam and his wife, Joyce Laflam, of Belmont, Donnie Laflam and his wife, Candice, of Lakeport, and Richard Ridinger and Nancy Hoffman of Hopkinton.

Calling hours will be on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the William F. Smart Sr. Memorial Home, 584 West Main St. (Tilton-Franklin Road) in Tilton.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary of The Assumption Church of St. Gabriel Parish, Chestnut St., Tilton.

Burial will be at a later date in St. John Cemetery in Tilton.

Memorial donations in memory of Col. Robert may be made to St. Mary of the Assumption of St. Gabriel Parish, PO Box 490, Franklin, NH 03235.

For more information, go to www.smartfuneralhome.com.