Maurits-Fidele came to America in the early 1900's. In the USA he had three sons:
1. Richard-Edmond Lagrand (called 'Rick'), born 26.09.1930 in Baltimore, Maryland, aerospace engineer and former naval aviator. Rick married Elizabeth-Ann Purves, born 28.06.1930 in Inglewood, California. Marriage on 17.10.1953, Inglewood, California. Elisabeth was housewife, former nurse.
2. Donald-Maurice-('Don') Lagrand, born 15.12.1935 in Middle River, Maryland, USA, insurance agent. Don married first Audrey-Elizabeth Asbridge, born 09.05.1935 in Los Angeles, California. Marriage on 09.02.1956, divorce on 23.12.1967. Second he married Barbara-Ann Lassiter, born 27.10.1936 in Long Beach, California of French Huguenot parentage. Marriage on 15.03.1974 in Chino, California. Don and Barbara live in the coastal Central-California community Cambria, California. From the first marriage, Don had two sons:
* Michael born 17.05.1958 in Inglewood, California, was a Hospital Corpsman in the US Navy.
* Mark born 17.11.1961 in Inglewood, California, dockworker at Los Angeles harbor.
3. Charles-Dennis Lagrand
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The Lagrand-story in the USA, was told to us in 2007 by Rick Lagrand.
"My father Maurits Lagrand arrived in the USA on 11 September 1920 at Ellis Island New York. His sponsor was his uncle Jules Claeys, Florida street 93, Buffalo, New York. He is described as 5 foot - 8 inches long, blond hair and blue eyes. He started with his uncle as a cabinet maker (carpenter). He returned to Belgium to fulfill his military training requirement, and then arrived a second time at Ellis Island on 5 November 1924 to join his uncle Fidelis-Louis Denoo, living 16625 Kipling Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. He became an American citizen on 25 May 1931.
In the late 1920's my father became involved in the aircraft industry. Most of his work life was in what, today, we call "aerospace". He had many accomplishments and knew people whose names are legendary today; i.e., Bill Boeing, Donald Douglas, Glenn L. Martin, Phil Corrigan, and "Dutch" Kindleberger to name a few. If this sounds like I'm bragging it's because I'm very proud of my father.
During World War II my father worked for the Martin Aircraft Company in Baltimore, Maryland building the Mariner flying boats. At the end of World War II, all military aircraft contracts were cancelled and the company sizes were drastically reduced. A very old friend of my father's had moved to California and spoke glowingly about the state. Also, my youngest brother was having health problems and the benign climate there was appealing. So, in February 1946 we moved to California, and established residence near Los Angeles."
"My mother's maiden name was Louise-Marie Van Lacke. Her birth name was Van de Viere (the spelling of both those names was apparently Americanized) and she had lived in South Bend, Indiana but Ivo, her biologic father, abandoned the family when she was very young. Her mother Leontine remarried Rene Van Lacke who adopted the children. Rene Van Lacke was a cook in the American army during World War I, and later a farmer. I know nothing about her mother Leontine's background except that she was Belgian. She and Rene came to California in the 1950's. Rene died in 1958 and Leontine died in 1962. They are buried in All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California."
"My aunt - father's sister - 'Marian'-(Maria-Bertha) Lagrand and her husband Lee De Witt lived in Cleveland, Ohio, but frequently visited us in Baltimore, Maryland, where we lived until 1946. His occupation was policeman. After he retired they followed us to California. Both of them were very generous to me, and I was really very sorry when Lee died in 1960 in Santa Ana, California. They had no children".?
"My parents were very close to the family of my father's aunt, (Maria)-'Sophia' Denoo, who was married to Jules Claeys. The two moved to California shortly after we did. They lived less than five kilometer from us. It was my wife who discovered Jules, lying on the floor of his residence, with a ruptured appendix. He died two days later in a hospital. They had no children. They too are buried in All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California."
"Besides Sophia Denoo, another aunt of my father, Eugenia-Maria Denoo emigrated to the USA. She was married to Justin Goubert, a farmer in Santa Ana, California. I do remember my great-aunt Eugenia clearly. She was a very religious woman. When we moved to California in Februari 1946, we lived briefly with the family Goubert, before moving into our own home. Justin and Eugenia had two children:
- Desire Goubert, an American soldier during World War II, met his wife Irene in Europe (France?) during the war.
- Esther Goubert was also married to an American soldier, Samuel-("Rocky") Kuras, who was a Captain of infantry who fought in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg during World War II."
"About myself, I left college in 1949 to join the US Navy and enter into aviation. After four years, including over 200 combat missions in the Korean War, I left the Navy in 1953.
My first civilian job was at Northrop, where we tested the F89 "Scorpion" rocket interceptor, with 104 rockets designed for long range interception of Russian aircraft. I transferred to the missile department and aided in design of the guidance system for the SM62 "Snark", America's first intercontinental missile. The guidance system was the prototype for inertial guidance systems now used in missiles, spacecraft, and nuclear submarines.
I left Northrop in 1959 and joined a Southern California company that pioneered manufacture of solid-state digital modules that permitted large stand-alone analogue (!) computers to communicate with digital computers. This allowed features of both types to be used in complex applications.After five years I left and joined a company called Space Craft Inc. in Huntsville, Alabama. I was part of a team that designed and built digital modules for the instrumentation systems on board the Saturn/Apollo moon landing rockets. I managed part of that operation and my team did some ingenious things without sacrificing reliability. I'm sure that you know how successful the moon landing program was. I'm very proud of my part in man's first steps beyond earth. I ended my career at Raytheon Computer as an independent representative until my retirement in 2001."
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SIX CHILDREN OF RICK LAGRAND
1. Susan-Louise Lagrand, born 28.10.1954 in Culver City California; in her father's foot-print as a computer programmer for the International Space Station.
First husband: Richard Heaton a lawyer (Divorced December 1986), born in San Diego, California.
Children:
- Richard-Lagrand Heaton born 29.06.1978 in Mission Viejo, California
- Robert-Lagrand Heaton born 30.12.1980 in Mission Viejo, California
Second husband: Anthony Glenn Mack, born 28.07.1964 Santa Monica CA, computer programmer. Marriage date and location: 27.06.1987 in Laguna Beach, California.
Child:
- Jillian-Lagrand Mack born 14.01.1990 in Mission Viejo, California
2. Deborah-Carol Lagrand (called 'Debbie'), born in Culver City on 06.01.1957 (kindergarten teacher). On 16.07.1977 she married Gerald-Samuel Rey. Gerald was born 25.09.1952. He is of Swiss and German descent, and is a psychologist. They adopted two children:
- Ian-Joseph Rey was born 18.04.1975. He is developmentally disabled and works in a grocery store.
- Sarah-Colleen Rey was born 17.01.1983 and she is a job developer for disabled adults. She married Michael Irvin on 16.08.2004. Michael Irvin was born 18.02.1979 in Ontario, California. Michael is a real estate broker. They have one daughter, Trinity-Jade Irvin, who was born in Murrietta, California on 13.02.2006.
3. Richard-Maurice Lagrand (called 'Rich'), born in Culver City California on 18.04.1959. He is Metrology Database Administrator with The Boeing Company in California.
He first married Janine Lynn Appell, born 01.09.1961, in Garden Grove, California. Two children:
- Sean-Michael Lagrand, born 13.07.1981 in Jacksonville Florida. Sean was killed in a motorcycle accident on 25.09.2006 and is interred at Montecito Memorial Park in Loma Linda California (San Bernardino area). Sean was an active duty Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps at the time of his death and served two tours of duty in Iraq. His job in the Marines was Crash and Fire Rescue (airport firefighter) with the 3rd Marine Air Wing based at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar California (San Diego area). Sean leaves behind a son Ayden-Scott Lagrand, born 09.07.2004 in Loma Linda California.
- Rebecca-Elizabeth Lagrand, born 03.11.1983 in Santa Ana California. Rebecca is currently living in Upland California (San Bernardino area).
His second marriage was to Gayla-June Neal, born 26.11.1957 in Fullerton, California. One son:
- Ryan Daniel Lagrand, born 25.01.1988 in Corona, California.
Third marriage on 02.09.2007 to dr. Sheila D. Seiler (PhD Anthropology, University of California at Los Angeles), born 30.01.1959 in San Bernardino, California.
4. Deanna-Marie Lagrand, born 26.02.1962 in Garden Grove, California, special education.
Husband: David Hamilton Yeakle, born 09.09.1953 in Los Angeles, California, teacher.
Marriage date and location: 15.07.1989 in Pasadena, California. Children:
- Riley Thomas Yeakle, born 20.03.1992 in Sonora, California
- Paige Colleen Yeakle, born 15.01.1997 in Sonora, California
5. Dean Frederick Lagrand born 12.12.1968 in Anaheim, California is a technician. He married on 21.09.2003 in Guntersville, Alabama, to Tracey Rennie, born 09.08.1970 in Flushing, New York. Her occupation: US Government, Transportation Safety Administration. They have a doughter:
- Makayla Lagrand, born 14.06.2006 in Huntsville, Alabama.
6. Elizabeth-Colleen Lagrand, born 04.10.1972 in San Diego, California, loan officer.
Husband: Thomas-William Shalhoub, born 09.06.1970 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Master Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marine Corps.
Marriage date and location: 10.10.1993 in Fallbrook, California. Children:
- Triplets Shalhoub, born 28.04.2006
- Reagan-Cierra Shalhoub (girl)
- Nathaniel-Thomas Shalhoub
- Grayson-Max Shalhoub
Stamboom (genealogie/genealogy/généalogie) Lanssens-Denoo: 24.814 personen (individuals, personnes) d.d. 14 februari 2024 - site: http://lanssens.be