Bob “JPR” LaRose, was a quintessential self-made man, or in his case, a self-made Major-General. Born in 1925 in Kapuskasing and raised in Sudbury he worked briefly in the mines until old enough to enlist as an airman in the Canadian air force at the tail end of WWII. Post war he took the opportunity given to vets and became the first in his family to go to university. Reflecting his Sudbury hard rock origins, Bob was a valuable defenseman for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues hockey team but on graduation decided not to go pro but to sign back up with the military, this time as an army officer.
JPR was a soldier’s officer. His guiding maxim was: “Take care of your men first”, which endeared him to his troops. He commanded a tank troop in the Korean War with the Lord Strathcona’s Horse and then in Germany with The Fort Garry Horse. A diamond in the rough and with English as his second language, his early officer career was slow. His wife Mary helped smooth off his diamond edges and improved his English. And he would have retired nicely as a Colonel if bilingualism had not arrived in the Canadian Forces.
But bilingualism did arrive and it was obvious to all that Bob was the perfect individual to stand up Canada’s first French speaking armoured regiment since WWII. Bob drew upon his drive to succeed and his ability to motivate those around him, and he established the 12e regiment blindée du Canada. He always considered this the height of his career; even though he was later promoted to Brigadier General commanding all Canadian UN troops in the middle-east and then promoted again to Major General (Chief Land Doctrine and Operations) at National Defense HQ.
Upon retirement he had a successful second career first with Touche Ross and then as the head of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, taking ACCC back from the brink of bankruptcy and returned them to financial health.
Yet his military career was far from over as he was the Honorary Colonel of his regiment the 12e RBC, then Colonel Commandant of the Armoured Corps, and then Honourary Lt-Colonel of the Governor Generals Foot Guards. Never the retiring honourary, he brought all of his energies to bear to motivate and support all of his colleagues serving in the armoured corps. This included twisting the arms of retired officers and friends of the armoured corps to fund the research and production of what became the definitive history of the Canadian Armoured Corps.
But then the soldier did start to fade. His wife Mary of over 50 years developed Alzheimer’s, and while she is still alive, she could no longer live with him or be his help-mate. Able to overcome every other challenge thrown his way, this one defeated him. Despite the support of his children Michèle, Denyse, and Paul, grandson Mike, daughter/sons-in-law Marilyn, Chris, and Moehengi, and his many military colleagues retired and serving, he did not develop a post-Mary course-of-action. Mary had clearly provided him with a hidden strength, just as she had rounded off his diamond corners.
Bob died the 15th of May, 2011, at the age of 85. He leaves behind a vibrant armoured unit, his 12e RBC; a proud family, and a country and world just a little bit safer because of his military service. He was every bit the “model of a modern Major-General”.
