Lawrence D. Haines

Lawrence D. Haines, 85, of Paynesville, MN died Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at Koronis Manor in Paynesville surrounded by family following an extended illness.  Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Johnson Funeral Home in Paynesville where a visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  Burial with military honors will be in the Paynesville Cemetery.  www.hafh.org

Lawrence “Larry” Haines was born June 19, 1933, in Eden Valley, MN to Lloyd (Joe) and Peggy (Bennett) Haines.  He grew up in Paynesville, was a 1951 Paynesville High School graduate, and earned 14 letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track & field.  He was a part of every team trophy earned during 1948 – 1951, that rests in the high school trophy case.  He was the starting guard for the varsity basketball team and member of the “Cinderella Quintet,” featured by the media in 1951, when his team had the best record in the state (21 wins, 1 loss).  That same year, Larry made a half-court, buzzer beater shot, heard by the community on the radio during one of his basketball games.  In football, Larry played O-line and was the starting halfback and full back his junior and senior years.  He was a starting pitcher of the baseball team his junior and senior years and pitched for the local area Legion teams in the summers.  Larry also earned letters in track & field in the discus as a junior and senior. 

Larry was a proud veteran and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1952.  He earned a “Top Secret” military clearance and was assigned to a special weapons squadron.  His assignments took him to Indochina and the Philippines.  His team earned an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and Medal.  During his tour in Korea, his team was presented with the Korean Service Ribbon and Medal from the Far Eastern Air Forces. In 1955 Larry was assigned to McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, WA.  While stationed in Washington, Larry married Carole Jean Siegmund of St. Cloud, MN on June 8, 1957.  All of Larry and Carole’s children were born in Tacoma.  Larry was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his work in materials management.  While he was in the service Larry participated on Air Force Base basketball teams at McChord AFB and McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA. 

In 1965, the Air Force sent Larry to Taiwan Air Force Base in Taiwan (Formosa in 1965) as Chief of Management and Procedures.  In 1967 he was assigned to Duluth Air Force Base’s BOMARC missile site located in French River, MN.  Larry was in charge of both nuclear and non-nuclear supply accounts.  He earned his second Air Force Commendation Medal and was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Executive Order of the President.  He served several years at BOMARC and was sent to Vietnam in 1972.  He was attached to Tanson Nhut Air Base as Chief of the operational support branch.  He earned the Bronze Star by Executive Order of the President.  He also earned the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal while in Vietnam.  Larry returned to the states in 1973 and was assigned to SAC at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan while his family stayed in Duluth.  He served in the area of air to air and air to ground missile accounting and procedures.  While at K.I. Sawyer, he retired after 20 years in the Air Force. 

Throughout Larry and Carole’s life, they both were avid bowlers and won many individual and team awards and trophies.  Larry also enjoyed his grandchildren, deer hunting, playing cards, and his wife’s pies.  Larry retired in Duluth after working seven years in the private sector.  He enjoyed the quiet, country life in Lakewood Township (just outside Duluth) for nearly 30 years with his beloved wife of 46 years, until her death in January, 2004.  Larry will be laid to rest with his wife in Paynesville where he has lived since 2005 and where he enjoyed many visits with his uncle, Dick Haines, and his cousin, Bill Haines.  He was a member of the American Legion and also enjoyed reading westerns, doing crossword puzzles, and watching sports. 

Larry died Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at Koronis Manor in Paynesville at the age of 85.   He is survived by daughter, Sheri (Michael) Peterson of Plymouth, MN; grandsons, Jeffrey and Scott; son, Michael (Lori) Haines of Bemidji, MN;  granddaughter, Emilie (Kaleb); great-granddaughter, Mila; grandson, Ethan; son, David (Laura) Haines of La Crosse, WI; granddaughter, Anna; great-grandchildren, Zavier, Brogan, and Leora; grandson Kristopher;   and younger sister, Shirley Barthelemy of Sauk Rapids, MN.

Besides his beloved wife, Carole, he was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Joan Beresford, and infant brother, Bruce Haines.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lawrence D. Haines, please visit our floral store.