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LAFAURIE, Michel "Mike" J. - Michel J. Lafaurie, 86, of Redwood City passed away Sunday, October 30, of heart failure. He was born March 19, 1919 in Ontario, California to the late Michel Angel and Josephine (Herlax) Lafaurie. Michel was a graduate of Galileo High and obtained an Associate of Arts degree from San Francisco Junior College. Michel served in the United States Army Signal Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater where he attained the rank of staff sergeant. Mr. Lafaurie was united in marriage to Iris Dougherty on June 7, 1947 in San Francisco. In 1951 they moved to Redwood City where they raised all five of their children. After military service Michel began working in the clock division of IBM Corporation and received many promotions before retiring in 1985 as a senior physical planning engineer in the computer division. As a youth Michel was an avid sailor and involved in the Sea Scouts where he also learned to build sail boats. His love of sailing led him to become one of the founding fathers of the Sequoia Yacht Club Junior Sailing program where he spent over three decades as a volunteer teaching young people to sail. He was also a leader of Boy Scout Troop 302 for many years. Michel is survived by his sister, Marjorie Cowan; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Ronnie Lafaurie of Santa Barbara, and Steve and Kathy Lafaurie of Kalona, IA; daughters and sons-in-law, Suzette and Kevin Sousa of Livermore, Patty and Steve Rivera of San Carlos; and daughter, Linda Breen of Redwood City. He is also survived by his grandchildren Leah (Lafaurie) Johnson, Faith Lafaurie, Ben and Corie Sousa, Matt, Michael, and Tim Rivera, Sean and Jamie Breen, who all knew him as "Papa", and one great-grandson, Jack Johnson. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Pius Church, 1100 Woodside Rd., Redwood City on Mon., Nov. 7, at 11:00 AM. Memorial contributions in Michel's honor may be sent to either Saint Francis Center, 101 Buckingham Ave., Redwood City, 94063 or to "Mike Lafaurie Junior Sailing Scholarship Fund", C/O Sequoia Yacht Club, PO Box 5548, Redwood City, CA 94063-0548. Published in the San Francisco Chronicle on 11/4/2005.