Bernard J. LaPlante  passed away January 28, 2016 at home. He was born in Pittsfield, MA in 1929, the only child of Harold J. and Gertrude Hartigan LaPlante. Barney was the first born of his generation and in his early years; he was surrounded by a large extended family including aunts who were not much older than him. He was the little boy who rode elephants in Pittsfield while smoking a cigar at the early age of four. He once tried to leave Pittsfield on his tricycle to visit New Lebanon, only to get caught on the far side of town. He loved to read and was a font of encyclopedic knowledge. After having been expelled from Catholic school for standing on his desk and questioning the Spanish Inquisition, he did graduate New Lebanon High School in 1948. He served in the US army from 1951 to 53. He attended the NY State School of Police and served as a trooper from 1956 to 1966. He went on to become a Met Life representative and real estate agent. His and Kathy's most fulfilling endeavor was  the Chief Taghkanic Diner in East Chatham. In 1987 he relocated the entire operation to New Lebanon as the Indian Head Diner. After the sale of the diner in 1992, he began another career as a vendor until his retirement in 2010. He is survived by his wife Kathleen, children; Steven (Karen) Engel, Jamie (Douglas Huntley) Futera, Marie Romm, David LaPlante and Bruce LaPlante, grandchildren; Sam and Amara Engel, aunts; Helen Healey and Louise Ducharme,  many cousins, nieces and nephews AND his beloved cat Fazzie. There will be a memorial service at the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 2nd from 2 to 6 pm. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Columbia Greene Humane Society, 125 Humane Society Rd, Hudson, NY 12534 or the Capital City Rescue Mission, 259 S Pearl St, Albany, NY 12202. Condolences may be conveyed at frenchblasl.com.