Carla Jean LaRocque

Carla Jean LaRocque, 77, passed away on August 11, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was born on November 8, 1947, in Flint, Michigan. Carla’s late parents, Carl and Margaret Harrison, were lifelong residents of Michigan and much of Carla’s childhood was spent moving around the state due to Carl being a state trooper with the Michigan Police Department. For the past few decades, Carla made Louisville home and resided in the Highland and Phoenix Hill neighborhoods, where she built friendships and a life full of laughter, adventure and love.

Carla was the devoted stepmother of Marcel LaRocque and Cybele Russell. She was also the proud grandmother of AnTony, Lysette, Dane, Lila and Charlie. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Raymond Frances Xavier LaRocque, whom she married in 1974. The two shared 40 years together until his passing in 2014. Carla and Ray were true partners in every sense, traveling the world side by side and staying up late to dream about retirement plans, new adventures, and the philosophies of life.

For 36 years, Carla proudly worked at Bramco, where she rose to Vice President of Human Resources & Quality Advancement before retiring in 2013. She was deeply dedicated to her work, and those who knew her there will fondly remember her passion for the Predictive Index – she delighted in analyzing personalities and was always ready for a quip like, “well no wonder he thinks like that, he’s a high A.”

In her retirement, Carla filled her days with things she loved most: the thrill of horse racing (which included visits to Churchill Downs as well as late night bets on races in Australia and Hong Kong), traveling with her children and grandchildren and collecting memories from some of her favorite destinations like Ocracoke, Wyoming and Puerto Rico. Carla also volunteered for SOS International until her health no longer allowed.

She also found joy in life’s smaller treasures – reading, Hallmark movies, crossword puzzles, pink flamingos and music of every genre. Her collection of music was vast and eclectic, and she often surprised her grandchildren by sharing artists they found surprisingly “hip.”

Carla’s sharp wit, stubborn attitude, and strong will were qualities that best described her. If you spent time with her, you probably heard one of her many famous lines: “Does it look like I care?” ... “To my point” ... “The gas is on the right” ... or her especially beloved, “I don’t give a rat’s ass.” Her words - always honest, sometimes blunt, at times a little judgy – were part of what made her unforgettable. She lived by a simple philosophy: always look forward, never look back.

Carla recently gifted her granddaughter, Lila, a journal about her life. One of the questions she had to answer was, How do you like to be thought of by others? Her answer was simple: “I would like to be thought of as kind...caring...compassionate...liberal...and a person of integrity. And a person who loves horse racing!” A perfect description of a truly unforgettable person.

We miss you! May you finally rest and find peace and new adventures with Ray.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to SOS International in her name.