PLATTSBURGH — Las Vegas meant more than casinos and card games to Lynn Prevo Lafountain.
While the Ellenburg Center woman loved traveling there to gamble, it was also where she wed her true love, Tom LaFountain, on October 17, 1997.
“She just loved it there,” Dennis Labombard said. “I was just talking to her mother this morning, and she was telling me about how much Lynn loved Las Vegas.”
Without hesitation, Labombard described the all-around admiration community members had for Lynn, but he had no words to tell how much she will be missed.
Lynn, 45, died July 31 from injuries she suffered in a four-wheeler crash on July 21.
She was riding a 1999 Polaris all-terrain vehicle on Star Road in Ellenburg Center at about 10:40 p.m. when, for unknown reasons, she lost control.
The ATV rolled, and Lynn, who was not wearing a helmet, police said, was thrown from the bike.
For more than a week, Lafountain battled critical injuries in intensive care at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.
She died surrounded by family and friends.
‘SO WELL-LIKED’
Tracy Posada said the outpouring of love and support near the end of her sister-in-law’s life was a touching reminder of how much Lynn meant to her community.
“She had a ton of people coming in to see her. It’s a small town, and everyone knew her,” Posada said.
Lynn met a lot of folks while working at Ken Prevo Sales and Service Polaris Dealership, her father’s business, and developed a love for riding off-road at the same time.
“As a youngster at 3 or 4 years old, she was riding snowmobiles and ATVs. It’s hard to believe what happened,” Labombard said.
In the days after the accident, friends and family shared sentiments and well-wishes on Lynn’s Facebook page, and daily updates provided insight into her fight for life.
“She was just an all-around great person. She had so many close friends. She was a sweetheart,” Labombard said. “It’s just very hard to describe someone that was so well-liked and well-rounded.”
FAMILY GATHERINGS
Lynn also found happiness outdoors with Tom and their two dogs, Kelly and Lily.
“She loved her pets. They didn’t have any kids but they had their dogs,” Posada said.
In the winter, Lafountain preferred sleds and snowmobiles and in the summer she spent time riding ATVs, camping and boating.
She had recently been spending more time with some family members, after a Christmastime reunion made everyone realize the importance of staying connected year-round.
“Our first get-together was the first of June and then (they met) the first of July,” Posada said.
She and other family members met Lynn for dinner where they shared stories and laughed together.
“We were supposed to get together on August 1,” she added.
TRUE LOVE
Posada remembered a tender moment from last Christmas that made the couple’s adoration for one another very clear.
“(She) was Tom’s true love. He had his arm around her and his hand gently on her back. You just knew that was two people who were really in love,” Posada said.
Friends and family can attend calling hours from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Rabideau Funeral Home, 5614 Route 11 in Ellenburg.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Edmund’s Church in Ellenburg.
Email Miranda Orso:
morso@pressrepublican.com
