Jim LaBranche, Jr.

Miami, FL - Jim LaBranche Jr passed away suddenly on December 26 2014 at Mt Sinai Hospital in Miami Fla. His entire family was with him and they are heartbroken to have lost a fabulous son, brother, uncle, nephew and cousin.

He leaves behind parents Jim and Betty LaBranche, Sisters, Penny Latva and Nicole Yee, brothers- in law Mitch Latva and Kingman Yee, Nephews, Andrew Walters, Sawyer Latva, James Yee and Eleanor(Maezie)Yee.  

Jim was kind, extremely bright and had an incredible sense of humor. He loved his family deeply and knew how to show it. 

Jim attended St. Michaels Catholic School and Exeter High School. He was a graduate of University of Southern Illinois in Carbondale where he majored in radio and TV, something he knew he wanted to do as a young boy. Immediately upon graduation he was an on air anchor at a small station in Bluefield West Va. and soon went on to Terre Haute, Indiana where he fulfilled his dream to be a news director. He soon went on to a larger Tampa Florida TV station and then to Jacksonville Florida where he was again News director at the Fox and CBS station. He eventually left the TV world and decided to go into business for himself and started LaBranche Photography specializing in Wedding Photography. More recently he added web design to his business. 

He was interested in technology, an avid tennis player and a very talented singer but those who knew him well thought that his kindness and terrific sense of humor were what they loved best about him. 

Besides his family he leaves two best friends, Maureen Baker and Evan Bacon both of whom credit him for hiring them and starting their TV careers and two special cousins, Donna Getz and Merrilee Roy. 

Visiting hours will be Monday, January 5, 2015 from 5-8 PM at Stockbridge Funeral Home, 141 Epping Road, Exeter.  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited.  A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Michael Church, corner of Front and Lincoln Streets, Exeter, Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at 11 AM.  

In lieu of flowers donations in his memory may be made to the American Heart and Stroke Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, or  David Barrows Adventure Fund, c/o Greater Piscataqua Foundation, 440 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801 or the Bell-Flynn-Caley Scholarship Fund, c/o Citizen’s Bank, Attn; Sharon Parker, 875 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03101. Burial will follow in the Exeter Cemetery.