Birth date: Aug 23, 1933 Death date: Nov 26, 2024
Ralph W. LaParl age 91 of Clay Twp., MI passed away November 26, 2024 in his home. He was born August 23, 1933 in Roseville, MI to the late Frank and Eleanor (Haight) LaParl. He married Barbara M. Howell August 14, 1954 in Algonac Read Obituary
I just learned of Coach LaParls passing a few minutes ago. Ralph wasa great teacher and coach and I considered him the finest HS coach that I had at Sterling HeightsStevenson. In my senior year he took a very average HS team into the Regionals where we lost to the state runner up by just 2 runs. My condolences to the entire family. Ralph's induction into the HS Hall of Fame was well deserved and to this day I think about him fondly from time to time
I was fortunate to have Ralph as a baseball coach. No other coach I ever had compared to Ralph. He was a coach like no other I ever had. He had a knack of getting young en to listen. He respected us and we'd do anythig for him because we always felt we had a real chance to win if we listened and do as he demaded. He was that good.
My condolences to Barb and Ralph’s immediate and extended family. I got to know the Laparl family very well while growing up in Algonac in the 1950’s which will historically be recognized as the greatest athletic era in the history of the community! Ralph Laparl was on many of those teams. I can remember having conversations with him in the 1960’s when he was coaching in Utica and I in Pontiac. I often wondered what would happen if our teams were to play each other. But that never happened since we were committed to our respective conferences and there was no state playoff format at that time. I would encounter Ralph from time to time over the years while visiting my parents in Algonac. The conversations we had, ALWAYS, at some point, turned to athletics. I remember Ralph as one of the really good guys I have met over the years who touched and made a difference in the lives of thousands of young people during his long tenure in public education. His legacy lives! Bill Richardson
