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When the sun was shining and the fish were biting, Cut Off native Lawrence Plaisance Sr. was sure to have his rod and reel somewhere close by.
“He loved the water,” Lawrence Plaisance Jr. said of his father. “He loved to fish and going to the beach – anything to be out on the water.”
When not on the water, Lawrence had another passion: being helpful to those in need. He was the kind of person who’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it more.
Lawrence died on June 6 after spending more than a year fighting liver cancer. He was 59.
Lawrence is survived by his birth mother, Laura Williams Punch; children, Lawrence Jr. and Lauren Plaisance; and sisters, Gwen Cheramie and Gail Ougel.
Those closest to the man remember his outgoing ways, his love for the outdoors and a passion for taking care of those in need as three traits that defined his life.
“My dad was the type of person that would do anything for anybody and would help them if they needed it no matter the situation,” Lawrence Jr. said of his dad. “He was an adrenaline junkie. He was always living like tomorrow wasn’t promised.”
Anything that required being outdoors made Lawrence happy.
He was a boat captain for a lot of his life – a job that Lawrence enjoyed because it involved being out on the water. He also was a carpenter in his later years.
When not at work, Lawrence would often take trips to the beach – sometimes to fish and other times just to hang out and pass a good time.
Lauren said those memories are some of the best times of her life. Lawrence used to cook pancakes for the crew at breakfast. They’d enjoy the meal together and then would go on about their day – enjoying fun in the sun as a family.
“I will remember him when I have pancakes for breakfast,” Lauren said. “I will remember him when I think of my childhood. I will remember those days on the beach fishing with him when I was little.”
When the beach wasn’t feasible, Lawrence Sr. would still find a way to be outside. Lauren said her father would often sit out on the porch and “make the veiiller” – an old Cajun French expression which is similar to what one does when they are “shooting the breeze.”
With a cigar between his teeth and the sun hanging high in the sky, Lawrence had a way of being at peace – one with the outdoors.
“I always think of my dad when I smell a cigar in the air,” Lauren said. “We sat out on his porch in the heat and I didn’t understand why he refused to turn on his air conditioner. That was just who he was.”
As a father, Lawrence Sr. wasn’t overly strict and had a way of showing leniency, while also being stern when he needed to.
“He was pretty laid back as a dad until you did wrong,” Lawrence Jr. said with a laugh.
But like all other dads, he had warmth in his heart for his own – the kind of love that only takes places between a father and his children.
Lauren said it was a bond she felt every time she saw her dad.
“He would smile every time he would see me,” she said.
Lawrence Sr. had a tough go medically, battling ailments until his death. In 1985, he was in an accident that caused brain damage. Lauren said relatives said the accident completely changed Lawrence Sr.’s personality, often making him impatient and short-tempered.
But even with the physical ailments, he still found a way to impact others when he had the chance.
“After the accident, he wasn’t the same person,” Lauren said. “My cousin says that was like day and night. But I remember him always meaning well and he did the things he did. He loved his children, but he had a funny way of showing it. … It was the accident’s fault and not his own.”
Late in life, cancer arrived and that, too, was a struggle.
Lawrence Jr. said as his father underwent treatments, he’d always tell everyone that things were getting better and were close to be cured.
He said the family found out later that he was fighting a battle that couldn’t ever be won.
The son said that fearless mentality is what he will remember most about his dad – the ability to never be fearful for what’s to come.
That’s the type of man Lawrence Sr. was throughout every stage of life.
“His cancer was worse than he was telling us,” Lawrence Jr. said. “I’m guessing he didn’t want us to treat him any different or to worry about him. … My dad jumped into everything head first. He never was one to test the waters first – he always dove right in.” •
