“ The following article was printed on Dr. Labine in the Houghton, Michigan newspaper after Alfred died in 1967:

Dr. Labine was born on Dec. 17, 1885 in Calumet. His parents, Oliver and Stephanie Labine were of French Canadian descent. They first resided in Calumet and later moved to Laurium. As a youth Dr. Labine attended St. Anne’s Parochial School and later transferred to the Red Jacket School prior to enrolling at the old Washington School for his seventh and eighth grade years. He was graduated from Calumet High School in 1906. It is recalled that the doctor started out as an intermittent barber early in his career and operated a three chair shop in Laurium where the former m. Van Orden station was located on Third and Osceola thoroughfares. Late in 1906, he sold his shop to his uncle, Charles Labine, and took the money he had earned to Ann Arbor where he enrolled in the University of Michigan Medical School.

He was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1910 and then returned to Calumet where he interned at the Calumet and Hecla Hospital. Dr. Labine also gained early orthopedic experience with Dr. R. S. Buckland.

In the spring of 1911, he moved to Winona and to the then bustling Winona Mine where he was physician for the concerns employees. In 1912, Dr. Labine was notified by the County Clerk, Nicholas Kaiser, that the Board of Supervisors had appointed him county physician with the result that Dr. Labine moved to Houghton and located his offices in the Masonic Building in which structure he maintained medical quarters until the day of his demise. He often reflected that 56 years in one place truly was a long time.

He was the first medical advisor to the county sanitorium and he held the office of county physician for a quarter of a century before resigning to become one of Houghton’s private practitioners. During his period of service he was given leave of absence to pursue post graduate work both in New York and in Europe.

Consistently active in medical affairs he also championed the cause of eradicating bovine tuberculosis. His work in this field was sponsored by the Calumet Women’s Club. Later he was on the initial cancer control committee and he made many journeys throughout the Upper Peninsula lecturing and showing lantern slides concerning this disease. During the days of his control of the county hospital, it is said of him that he had charge of 125 cases of small pox during a specific year.

He served on the Houghton Keweenaw Baraga County Medical Society as its president and he was also dean of the staff of St. Joseph Hospital. In 1950, he was elected president of the Upper Peninsula Medical Society at Iron Mountain and he also became a fellow associate of the International College of Surgeons. The honor was bestowed in St. Louis in 1950. A long term member of Hancock Houghton Council Knights of Columbus, the doctor served as grand knight, district deputy and in other capacities. He is a past faithful navigator of the Bishop Baraga Fourth Degree Assembly.

In civic affairs he served as president of the Houghton Rotary Club, was a sponsor of the Newman Club, and devoted much time to his trusteeship on the board of the good will farm. The doctor also served as chairman of the financial drive which ultimately resulted in a new and more adequate St. Joseph Hospital in Hancock.

His interests were diverse and on many occasions he spoke on behalf of drives which it was hoped would accrue to the benefit of the Copper Country economically. He was also a longtime member of the Hancock Order or the Elks. As a story teller, Dr. Labine was a master, and he gained fame in that art especially regarding his stories about his French Canadian background given with his French accent. “8160,8138

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Alfred Labine
Alfred LaBine

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Genevieve (Unknown)