De Laittre, John

John De Laittre was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 7, 1907. He was the son of Karl (1874-1957) and Rosamond (Little) De Laittre, and a grandson of lumberman John De Laittre (1832-1912). The elder De Laittre was a partner in the Bovey-De Laittre Lumber Company, and a trustee and president of Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank (Minneapolis). Karl De Laittre was a lumberman, state legislator, and president of the Minneapolis City Council.

De Laittre attended Blake School (Minneapolis) until 1923, and graduated from Milton Academy (Milton, Mass.) in 1925. He earned a bachelor's degree (1929) and a law degree (1933) from Harvard University, and worked as an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Kingham, Cross, Morley, Cant & Taylor (1933-1940).

De Laittre spent many years with Farmers & Mechanics, serving as assistant treasurer (1940-1942), treasurer (1942-1947), vice president (1946-1956), executive vice president (1956-1957), and president (1957-1962). He was president of the National Association of Mutual Savings Banks (1959-1960). In 1962 De Laittre was appointed to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, serving until 1966. He was executive vice president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (1966-1968), a director of Midwest Federal Savings and Loan Association (Minneapolis, 1974-1989), and a director and officer of some other mortgage and banking organizations.

For many years De Laittre was involved with the Bovey and the De Laittre lumber and iron ore interests in such capacities as counsel, officer, director, agent, trustee, and partner. He retired from these activities in 1984.

John De Laittre married Carolyn Erminger (1911-1982) on April 30, 1934. The De Laittres had three children: Corinne, Carolyn, and Lila. He evidently married again later in life.

De Laittre died of heart failure in Minneapolis on February 4, 1992.

From the guide to the John De Laittre papers., 1906-2009 (bulk 1913-1991)., (Minnesota Historical Society)