Robert Anthony LaLama
October 7, 1966 to May 17, 2017 (age 50)
Funeral Mass of Thanksgiving
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
St. Joseph Church in Coraopolis, PA
Fr. Richard S. Jones
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is a wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23
We gather today from near and far, family and friends, companions and comrades, neighbors and parishioners to remember, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to bid a prayerful farewell to Robert Anthony LaLama. On behalf of all of us gathered here this day, we wish to express to his faithful mother, Amelia; loving wife Carolyn of 24 years; children, who brought ‘sweetness’ to his life, Mark and Miranda; his devoted siblings, sister Louise (Vincenzo) and brother Lou (Karen); uncle Guido; niece, Amelia (Gary); nephew, Tom (Christina); great niece and great nephew, Marian and Vincenzo and as he was proceeded in death by his father, Gino LaLama and nephew, Donald Silvestri. Robert’s family was so important to him and he loved each and every moment he spent with them.
Robert graduated in 1985 from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School (OLSH) in Moon Twp., PA. It is only fitting that we have a senior from the OLSH Class of 2017 serving at the altar, Sarah Macchione, as she wanted to be here today, which is her last day at OLSH and is also Senior Class Day. Robert was the first recipient of the Blessed Angela Award, which is presented to the senior who most exhibits the Felician charism and the spirit of Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska (founder of the Felician Sisters). He went on to the University of Pittsburgh and then graduating from the State Police Academy in 1992.
As a State Trooper he became a crime corporal and a homicide detective. It is only fitting that he was called home to God and left this world during National Police Week. He was described by a friend, Michael Masch – “He was a top-notch cop, a tireless and dogged investigator and a really good human being – son, husband, father and family man. I was honored to be his friend.”
The last 3 years of his life have certainly been a “Calvary experience” but he embraced it with grace, gratitude, graciousness, and a resilient spirit. Despite many hospitalizations, tests, procedures, prostate cancer, donor recipient of liver, he held on to hope each day to the very end.
During my visits we would often share experiences from both our respective walks of life, where we would see the dark and light sides of humanity at its worse and at its best with mutual admiration and respect for one another’s calling. Our common ground was faith. In Psalms 29:11 it says, “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Each time I would visit Robert in the hospital, I would ask him if he would like to receive Jesus and his reaction would be as if he would jump out of the bed to be “lifted up” by the Lord, whose love is everlasting. He was ever so humble and always grateful for the simple and ordinary things of daily life. He was truly a ‘disciple of the Lord’. Bob was so proud to see his son, Mark serve here on the altar here at St. Joseph. It brought him great joy. His daughter, Miranda has a –‘sunshine smile’ that could brighten even the bleakest and darkest days. His only heart’s desire was to be around and to see them grow, but with trusting faith and confidence that God would watch out for each of them if they but trust and live in faith.
One day I went to Robert’s home to visit him and was greeted by his German shepherd, Lexie. Of course, I should have expected someone in the police field to have a German shepherd.
Robert was a consummate gentleman in the best sense of the word. His inner strength, calm, confidence, kindness, and good nature made him even keeled to whatever life would bring. He had a passion and compassion to serve others and to help them in whatever capacity he was able to do so. He was ever conscious of how did I foster or hinder Christ’s reign in my life today? Through the gift of levity, humor and jokes it could take the edge off the hardships, trials, crosses, problems and struggles that envelope life. He sought always to be a prophet of truth, a messenger of hope, a minstrel of joy, and an instrument of God’s peace to others.
On the day of Robert’s death he was on the 12th floor in room 1270 at Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side of Pittsburgh, PA recovering from a recent liver transplant. In the early morning hours on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 he went into emergency surgery for a ruptured artery. The family was called at 3:30 in the morning. When I got there around noon, I assured Carolyn that he was in the best possible place and he would be provided the greatest opportunity to enhance his life, but medicine, technology, and science can only take us so far. That is why we need faith and approach each new day with hope that Jesus is always with us as a friend and lover of our souls.
After putting on the gloves and the gown and seeing the feverish nurses working endlessly at his side, family members continued to pour in with expressions of support, love and prayers. I assured his wife before departure that all is in God’s hands. The call came to the rectory later that afternoon that at 2:14 pm Robert had passed on. “Remember to care for the soul more than the body, since the soul remains, and the body perishes.” — St. Alcuin, the Abbott (730-804)
I thought to myself, after a courageous and fierce struggle, along with St. Paul, he had fought the good fight, had run the race and kept the faith to the very end (2 Timothy 4:7). Now there is no more pain, no more sickness, no more suffering, no more tests, and no more procedures. He is now in the loving care of the God who created him, redeems him and saves him. He is out of mortal danger and in the heavenly care of God, the Father, who provides, protects, and pledges His love to all of his children.
St. Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of police and one of St. Michael’s main responsibilities is to escort the faithful to heaven at their hour of death. He was interred in the Holy Angels Chapel Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery, 100 Resurrection Road, Moon Township, PA.
St. Joseph, (patron of the fathers and the dying), St. Robert Bellarmine (patron of catechists), St. Anthony of Padua (patron of lost things), St. Michael the Archangel (patron of police, soldiers and doctors), pray for us.
Police Officer’s Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, heaven's glorious commissioner of police,
who once so neatly and successfully cleared God's premises
of all its undesirables, look with kindly and professional
eyes on your earthly force.
Give us cool heads, stout hearts, and uncanny flair for
investigation and wise judgement.
Make us the terror of burglars, the friend of children and
law-abiding citizens, kind to strangers, polite to bores,
strict with law-breakers and impervious to temptations.
You know, Saint Michael, from your own experiences
with the devil that the police officer's lot on earth is not
always a happy one; but your sense of duty that so
pleased God, your hard knocks that so surprised the
devil, and your angelic self-control give us inspiration.
And when we lay down our night sticks, enroll us in your
heavenly force, where we will be as proud to guard the
throne of God as we have been to guard the city of all
the people. Amen.