Laurette Y. Snow

Laurette Y. Snow, 71, of Biddeford died Monday, July 13, 2009, at Southern Maine Medical Center after a long illness. 

She was born in Biddeford on July 6, 1938, to Donat and Eva (Boucher) LaRiviere. She attended Biddeford schools.

On June 22, 1968, she was married to John A. Snow III in Biddeford. He died Aug. 5, 1992.

As a young woman, Mrs. Snow worked at the former Snow’s Canning on Pine Point for many years. After starting a family, she left the restaurant and devoted her life to being a mother and homemaker.

Mrs. Snow was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church for many years until her failing health. She enjoyed listening to music, especially country music. She also enjoyed playing guitar. As a little girl, she and her family played music on local radio stations. Mrs. Snow was a great cook, and made many delicious meals for her grandchildren and family.

She was predeceased by her husband of 24 years; her brother, Joe LaRiviere; and her sister, Jeannette Jalbert.

Survivors in include her son, Steven D. Snow and his partner, Jason, of Biddeford; her daughter, Debra A. Grose and her companion, John, of Biddeford; her brothers , Robert LaRiviere and his wife, Cindy, of Biddeford, Roger LaRiviere and his wife, Theresa, of Biddeford, Rene LaRiviere and his wife, Pauline, of Venice, Fla., and Maurice LaRiviere and his wife, Ellie, of Northport, Fla.; her sisters, Lillian Labonte of Nokomis, Fla., and Irene Madore and her husband, Valere, of Venice, Fla.; her grandchildren, Timothy and Alexis Grose, and several nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was Friday, July 17, at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Saco. 

Donations in her name may be made to American Cancer Society Maine Division, 1 Main St., Suite 300, Topsham, ME 04086.

Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford. 

Isle A. Furstenwalde

Isle A. Furstenwalde, 88, formerly of Temple Avenue in Old Orchard Beach, died at her home in Windham Sunday, July 12, 2009.

She was born in Germany, June 16, 1921, to H. Curt and Else Bliss Furstenwalde.  She was educated in German schools.  She came to the United States with her family when she was 20 years old.

She resided in Old Orchard Beach for several years until 1981, afer the death of her mother. She later became a resident of Windham Residential Center in Windham until her death.

Miss Furstenwalde was a member of the Windham Baptist Church in Windham.  She was also a member of the Senior Enrichment Center in Portland. She was known to greet people with the saying “I’m your Beauty.”

There are no known survivors.  She was a longtime friend of Robert Hennas of Old Orchard Beach.

A funeral service was Thursday, July 16, in the Windham Baptist Church, 973 River Road, Windham.  Interment will be in the family lot in South Buxton Cemetery, Buxton.

Arrangements were by the Old Orchard Beach Funeral Home, Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

Tasha Nicole McLain

Tasha Nicole McLain, 19, of Biddeford, died Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at her home. 

She was born Oct. 4, 1989, in Portland to Marhon Vance and Timothy McLain.

She attended Biddeford schools and graduated from Biddeford High School in 2009. While at Biddeford she participated in the chamber choir.

Miss McLain was employed by Dairy Queen in Biddeford for more than three years.

She loved art, camping, her family and friends.

She is survived by her parents of Biddeford; her grandfather, Joel A. McLain Sr. of Biddeford; her grandparents, Leslie and Alberta Vance of Biddeford; six brothers, Timothy J., Benjamin P., Bo A., Zachary A., Ethan S. and Thomas M.; her aunts, Patricia Dumont, Pamela Averill and Beatrix Tucci; her uncles, Guy and William Vance, Jeff, Joel and Philip McLain, and many cousins.

A funeral service was Saturday at the Victory Chapel in Biddeford with Joel A. McLain officiating, with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery in Biddeford.

 Roland G. Petrin

Roland G. Petrin, 80, of Biddeford, died Wednesday, July 15, 2009, at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford.

He was born Feb. 9, 1929, in Biddeford, to Edgar and Rose Gagnon Petrin.

He graduated from St. Louis High School in 1947.

Mr. Petrin served his country in the United States Army as a medic during the Korean Conflict.  He completed a four-year apprenticeship program at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, earned his master machinist certificate and retired after 32 years.

He was an avid reader and unbeatable chess player. He enjoyed making puzzles, gardening, camping and traveling. If anything needed to be fixed, “Pepere” could fix it.

Most of all, he was a gentle man of strong faith who loved spending time with his family.

Mr. Petrin was a parishioner of St. Andre’s Church, Good Shepherd Parish in Biddeford.

He was predeceased by his brothers, Robert, Raymond, Raynold and Lucien.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Lucille Boucher Petrin; his son, Steven R. Petrin and his wife, Dianne; his daughter, Cynthia A. Parsons and her husband, Merle; three  sisters, Irene Hoyt, Pauline Benamati and Suzanne Beaulieu; his grandchildren, Corey and his wife, Tonya, Joshua, Shawn and Rebecca Parsons and  Alison, Zerihun and Marielle Petrin; three great-grandchildren,  Taylor, Damien and Antonina; and several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday at St. Andre’s Church, Good Shepherd Parish, in Biddeford, with burial in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Biddeford. Arrangements were by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.

Ronald R. Corbeil 

Ronald R. Corbeil, 71, of Biddeford died Friday, July 17, 2009, at his home after a long illness. 

He was born in Biddeford April 26, 1938, to Roland A. and Ida Jalbert Corbeil. 

He was educated in Biddeford schools and graduated from the former St. Louis High School in 1956. Mr. Corbeil served three years with the U.S. Army. On Oct.14, 1961, he married Helen M. Fournier in St. Margaret’s Church in Old Orchard Beach. She died on Feb. 21, 2006.

Mr. Corbeil worked 11 years with Lyn-Flex Industries in Saco and 20 years with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He retired in 1995.

Surviving include his sons, Tim Corbeil of Biddeford and Dan Corbeil and his wife, Jen, of Eliot; a daughter, Kim Martens and her husband, Bob, of Biddeford; his brother, Robert Corbeil and his wife, Lynette, of San Diego, Calif.; his sister, Delores Fecteau and her husband, Richard, of Biddeford; two grandsons, several nieces and nephews.

A memorial funeral service was Tuesday at Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery in Biddeford. 

 Memorial donations in his name may be made to the Northern York County Family YMCA, P.O. Box 1001, Biddeford, ME 04005.

Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel.

Virginia Taber ‘Ginny’ Dorr

Virginia ‘Ginny’ Taber Dorr, 93, of Gorham, died Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Portland. 

She was born in Dorchester, Mass., to Edward Albert and Margaret (MacDonald) Taber. The family moved to Maine in 1922, where she attended South Portland schools. She was a 1933 graduate of South Portland High School. In 1935, she graduated from Westbrook Junior College as a member of the first medical secretary class offered nationally and was the first of that class to be hired. 

Mrs. Dorr started her dance career at age 5 in Dorchester at Miss O’Brien’s Dance Studio, appearing in the same recital as teenager Ray Bolger. In Maine, she studied with Emerson/Mason, later known as the Dorothy Mason School of Dance. She was a well-known child performer, appearing in many greater Portland shows as well as with the Jefferson and Keith theater groups. At age 10, she was one of the selected contestants who performed at the opening of the Metropolitan Theater (now the Wang Center) in Boston. At age 14, she was invited to join the renowned Gus Edwards Revue in New York as soon as she became 16, the then-legal age. 

While in college, she taught weekends at the Mansise School of Dance. After devoting several years to marriage and motherhood, Mrs. Dorr opened her own dance studio in Gorham in 1952. For more than 30 years she taught the children of Gorham and the surrounding communities, but when the grandchildren of former pupils started to enroll, she decided to retire and turned the studio over to former student, Carol Lamontange Jordan in 1983.

She was a disc jockey every Saturday night for the West Gorham Community Club’s record hops at Robie Gym in Gorham in the 1950s and 1960s. She was a great listener and advocate for young people and served as their friend and mentor. As a member of the Gorham Country Club for many years, she competed in tournament play during the golf season and played at numerous courses around the state with the Virginia ‘Ginny’ Taber Dorr Women’s State Golf Association, where she also served as WSGA handicapper. She competed in the Women’s Professional Bowling League and in country club tournaments during the off-season. 

At age of 70, she played the role of Berthe in the musical “Pippin” with the Portland Lyric Theater. She followed all sports on television, never giving up on the Red Sox and Patriots, with a philosophy that her interests were keeping her young. 

She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Russell A. Dorr, who died in 1996. 

Mrs. Dorr is survived by her son, Russell A. Dorr Jr. and wife, Donna, of Casco; her grandchild, Melinda “Mindy” Dorr of Stoneham, Mass.; three step-grandchildren, Meredith Carbone of Scarborough, Amy Brahan of North Sutton, N.H., and Christine Bennett of South Portland; and five step great-grandchildren, Marisa and Gina Carbone, Christopher, Sydnie and Andrew Brahan; her nephew, Edward A. Taber III of Towson, Md., and his daughters, Lisa, Lynley, Layne and Laura; her sister-in-law, Nancy Taber and her close friend, Barbara Willey, both of West Gorham.

 A memorial service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to West Gorham Union Church, Route 25, Gorham, ME 04038, or the Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South St. Gorham, ME 04038

Arrangements are by the Dolby and Dorr Funeral Chapel, Gorham. 

Lucien R. Demers

Lucien R. Demers, 86, of Biddeford died Saturday, July 18, 2009, at his home after a long illness. He was born in Biddeford on June 8, 1923, to George and Rose Anna Bisson Demers and was educated in Biddeford schools.

Mr. Demers served with the U.S. Army during World War II. He received the Purple Heart for battle injuries in France.

On July 15, 1950, he was married to Blanche L. Labonte in St. Andre’s Church, Biddeford.

He worked 28 years with the Gulf Oil Co. in Portland and retired in 1983.

He enjoyed playing golf, traveling and wintering in Dania, Fla. He was a member of the American Legion and Dutch Elm Golf Course.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years of Biddeford; his sons, Donald L. Demers and his wife, Diane, of Townsend, Mass., Benoit N. Demers and his wife, Diane, of Yulee, Fla., Mark E. Demers of Waterboro, John G. Demers and his wife, Sandy, of Biddeford and David R. Demers and his wife, Tracy, of Hollis; his brother, Alphonse Demers of Dania Beach, Fla.; his sisters, Angela Remillard of Torrington, Conn., and Gloria Demers of Biddeford; eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews 

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday at Notre Dame de Lourdes Church of the Good Shepherd Parish in Saco, with burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Biddeford. 

 Memorial donations in his name may be made to Bon Appetit Meal Program, c/o Second Congregational Church, 19 Crescent St., Biddeford, ME 04005 or a charity of one’s choice.