On Tuesday, August 10 around 10 pm, Don LaCosse went missing on the Chippewa River. He was dog sitting for a friend who was at a funeral in Minnesota. Don was around this dog all the time and often took it to the river to swim. It is believed that he was taken by the current on Tuesday evening. Authorites believe they found his body Thurday afternoon.
Don's van, wallet, shirt and shoes were found at the boat launch site where he would often go swimming. We have had a lot of rain lately and the water level is much higher and the current much stronger than usual. The police and many friends and family searched for Don on Wednesday and again on Thursday. There was a body found on Thursday afternoon that we are 99% sure is Don. Due to the conditions, we won’t know for sure until an autopsy is done. We will find out today, Friday, if it is Don.
Don LaCosse grew up in Western Wisconsin with his three sisters. A few years ago Joel and Christy Peed moved from Omaha to plant the church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Within their first year here, Jonny Richardson was baptized. Jonny ran his own company and had been working with Don for nearly 8 years. A year an a half ago the Chippewa Valley Church outgrew the building it was in and moved to a new building that needed some renovations. A few of the brothers were doing a lot of work on the church and Jonny had asked Don to come and help. Don agreed to help, and was introduced to God’s Kingdom. Don immediately felt a connection with the brothers and joined them on their annual Boundary waters trip last summer. Don was quick to jump in and be a part of the group and volunteered to do one of the daily devotionals on that trip. He started studying the Bible and was baptized in October 2009 at 48 years old.
Don has a big heart and a deep love for people. He is known to just drop in on friends and help in any way that he can, whether it be taking his friends kids out to fish, playing with their dog or spending quality time in conversation with them. He was like a big teddy bear to both kids and adults alike. His sisters told us that he often put on a Santa suit at Christmas ti
me and played that role within the community. He loved to DJ parties as a hobby and recently DJ'd for a couple in the church who were just baptized 2 months before their wedding. In the community he coached both little league hockey and baseball. Don had a real love for life. He had a lot of skills and hobbies and loved to share those selflessly with everyone around him.
Please pray for Don's family and our family, as we continue to walk through this terribly sad tragedy. Pray that the church here will walk faithfully: grieving together, loving one another and Don's family and friends, but also rejoicing with Donny as he is in heaven!
Kerry Day
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Chippewa Valley Church, Eau Claire, WI