Richard Phillip LaBelle

Richard “Rich” LaBelle passed away peacefully at his home on Hutchinson Island, Florida, on June 4, 2026.

Born in Lansing, Michigan, to John and Beverly LaBelle, Rich grew up loving sports, the outdoors, and the water that would become one of his life’s greatest passions. He attended Brighton High School and later Northern Michigan University, where he met Charlotte Ward, the love of his life. They married in 1979 and spent the next 47 years building a life full of family, laughter, and adventure.

Rich and Char raised two sons, Rick and Scott, who were the pride of his life. Whether he was coaching youth sports, volunteering with young athletes, lending a hand to a friend, or simply checking in on someone he cared about, Rich had a gift for making people feel important.

He spent his working years serving others, first in corrections and later as a long-haul truck driver, but his favorite titles were always husband, dad, and eventually Grandpa. Nothing brought him more joy than his grandchildren, Avery and Landon.

Rich was larger than life in every sense of the phrase. At 6-foot-5, he was hard to miss — but it was his kindness, his humor, and his ability to strike up a conversation with absolutely anyone that people remembered most. He loved fishing, especially chasing mahi-mahi offshore, and spent countless days on the water with family and friends. If there was a fish to catch, a story to tell, or a joke to land, Rich was usually right in the middle of it.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Charlotte; his sons, Rick and Scott; his daughter-in-law, Meghan; his grandchildren, Avery and Landon; his brother, James; his sister, Aimee; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Beverly LaBelle, and his nephew, Zachary LaBelle.

A celebration of Rich’s life will be held at a later date. In true Rich fashion, his final request was a simple one: make it a 1970s-themed party. Wear your best ’70s attire, enjoy the music, tell a few fishing stories, and have a good laugh. He would have wanted it that way.