Joseph Gustave Lallande III

Salud, amor y pesetas; y tiempo para gozarlos. Health, love, and wealth, and time to enjoy them.

Joseph Gustave Lallande, III, known as Joe to most and Bampy to those who loved him most fiercely, laid his head to rest following a full and overflowing life on March 31, 2021. True to the traditional Spanish toast Joe lived a life rich in love, family, friendships and adventure and he certainly enjoyed every moment of it. 

Son of Joseph Gustave Lallande, Jr. and Janice Hoover Lallande, Joe was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 7, 1943. He was the eldest of three, and brother to Mary Claudel Lallande (Kendrick) and Ann Lucile Lallande. Much to his mother’s chagrin and the amusement of his sisters, Joe often laid claim to overseeing Ann’s upbringing. It was after seeing that his youngest sister was positioned for success that Joe ultimately transitioned to the mainland United States to attend Mercersburg Academy and Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA where he swam on the men’s swimming team and was a member of Delta Phi fraternity. He ultimately received his MBA from Columbia University in New York.

On a summer visit home from college Joe, threatened with the loss of the use of the family car, escorted Niki Neese, daughter of dear family friends, on a date. During this date they each decided that the other wasn’t so bad and with the use of the family car now secured, love blossomed. After dating through their university years, the two married on October 1, 1966 and remained inseparable in their more than 54 years of marriage.

A U.S. Naval Supply Officer aboard the USS Aucilla, Joe’s tour of duty saw him in the Mediterranean during the Six-Day Arab-Israeli war. Beyond the Navy, Joe’s professional career centered around agriculture. He initially began working with his father at J. Gus Lallande, Inc. in Puerto Rico and ultimately assumed the role of CEO. Following the sale of J. Gus Lallande, Inc. he and his family transitioned to California where he worked with Rice Growers Association of California. In keeping with the theme of making big moves, Joe also worked in Long Island, New York before assuming the role of CEO of Maine Potato Growers, Inc., a diversified agricultural co-op in Presque Isle, Maine. Additionally, Joe consulted for agricultural endeavors on behalf of the Maine Department of Agriculture and US Department of Agriculture in Cuba and Saudi Arabia.

Throughout these moves, Joe built deep and lasting friendships wherever he went. During his 20 years in Presque Isle Joe was active in the Rotary Club, frequently presented to the high school’s Future Farmers of America Chapter, assisted in tax preparation and Medicare Part D enrolment for United Way, and served on the Board of Directors at TAMAC. One of his biggest and lasting contributions to the community of Presque Isle was helping bring to life the Aroostook House of Comfort, Aroostook County’s first in-patient hospice and respite care facility.

A world traveler, Joe enjoyed immersing himself in the culture and cuisine of the countries he visited. It was not unusual for Joe to forge friendships with those he met while traveling either for business or for pleasure, and these trans-continental friendships continue to thrive years later.

Joe and Niki celebrated 54 loving and adventure-filled years together; their greatest adventure being raising their son, Joseph “JG” Gustave Lallande, IV and Elizabeth “Katie” Kremer Lallande Kalka. Joe and Niki’s legacy and example of love guided their children in the building of their own families with Beverly J. Lallande and John P. Kalka, respectively. Joe also is remembered as an adoring grandfather by five amazing granddaughters: Avery, Alex and Emmy Lallande; and Annie and Katherine “Kat” Kalka.

There is nothing that Joe enjoyed more than to break bread with those he met, and he relished the casual gatherings behind his house with neighbors and friends. Along this vein his family will be hosting a back-alley celebration between Cotton Press Road and Buggy Horse Road in his much beloved neighborhood of Ardrey in Charlotte, NC on Saturday, April 17, 2021 between 4:00 and 6:00pm. We invite friends to drop in and share stories and memories of Joe with his wife Niki and family while enjoying heavy appetizers.

For those inclined to honor Joe further, the family requests contributions in his name to the Aroostook House of Comfort: P.O. Box 867, Presque Isle, ME 04769 or https://aroostookhouseofcomfort.org/giveback/

Joe will be interred alongside his sons Ellis Scott and William Boyd with military honors at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamon during a private family ceremony later this year.  

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