 Larocque was born in Brownington, Vermont, the son of dairy farmer Donald O. Larocque, Sr.(1905-1996) and Beatrice Labor(1905-1992).Larocque received his Certificate from Saint Johnsbury Trade School in St. Johnsbury, Vermont in 1952.From 1956 to 1961, Larocque worked on the Saint Lawrence Seaway, Niagara Falls Power Project, and Moore Dam in Waterford, Vermont as a Project Inspector for Uhl, Hall and Rich, an engineering consulting firm.