Denise G. Lavigne

Denise Gilberte Lavigne, 72, of Lyman died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, surrounded by her children.
 She was born Jan. 7, 1937, in Bromptonville, Quebec, Canada, to Joel Morissette and Precille (Valcourt) Morissette. She moved to the U.S. at age 2 and later became a naturalized citizen. She attended schools in Lyman and Kennebunk.
She grew up on a dairy farm and was proud of her heritage. She was a hard worker. She worked for many years at Kesslen Shoe Shop in Kennebunk until it was closed and then worked at various area shoe shops. When the shoe industry was failing, she completed her education and became a nursing assistant, going on to work for the VNS of Saco for many years. She was proud and happy of the work she did there and particularly enjoyed working with the elderly people, speaking French to many of them and sharing stories.
She had a love of life and particularly enjoyed dancing and music. She loved her gardening and sharing her vegetables with others. She loved animals, especially her dog, Crisco.  Her faith was extremely important to her and she did many charitable things, including working with missionaries in Africa and other countries and donating many handmade rosaries and supplies to their cause. She led the praying of the Rosary for several years prior to the 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Philip’s Parish
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Paul Robert Lavigne, after 36 years of marriage. A few years after his death she was introduced by one of her patients to her current husband, Alexander Joseph Tanguay, and the were married for almost 15 years at the time of her death. She also was predeceased in death by her brother, Leon Morissette, and sister, Solange Knapp.
Survivors include her husband; three children, Daniel Lavigne and his wife, Teresa, Robert Lavigne and his wife, Margaret, both of Lyman, and Diane and her husband, Robert Cyr, of Biddeford; her granddaughters, Nicole, Amanda, Chantal, Destinee and Katie; six 6 stepchildren, Peter Tanguay and his wife, Elizabeth, of Gorham, Anthony and his wife, Lisa, also of Gorham, Julie and husband, Gerry Lessard, of Westbrook, Albert Tanguay and his wife, Brenda, Elizabeth and husband, Russell Grant, Rachel and husband, William Vurke, all of Westbrook; 17 step grandchildren; her brother, Marcel Morissette and his wife, Anna; sisters Cecile Ferland, Frances Camire, Raymonde Lacourse and her husband, Leo,and  Jeannine Courchene, all of Lyman.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday at St. Philip’s Church in Lyman. Burial will be in Morissette Family Cemetery in Lyman.
Memorial donations in her name may be made to St. Philip’s Church, Route 35, Lyman, ME 04002.
  Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.

Thelma E. Reed

Thelma E. Reed, 57, of Arundel died unexpectedly Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
 She was born June 10, 1952, in Rumford, to Francis and Marguerite (Kelly) Daigle. She attended Stephen’s High School and graduated in 1970.
On Dec. 31, 1981, she married Eugene H. Reed in Old Orchard Beach.
She  worked as a lab rechnician with Fiber Materials in Biddeford, for more 25 years. She previously worked at Saco Defense.
She was an avid reader who enjoyed mystery and crime novels. Mrs. Reed was known for memorizing her family histories and sharing those stories with her sister, nieces and nephews. Overall, she was a loving aunt who enjoyed spending her time with her family.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 26 years, Eugene Reed, and her brother, John F. Daigle.
Survivors include her sister, Carol A. Gallant, and her husband, Scott, of Westbrook; four nieces, Kristen Panzino, Stephanie Hicks, Laurie Delaney and Cassadie Gallant; and three nephews, Brian Daigle, Alan Daigle and Justin Gallant.
A funeral service was Friday at Hope Memorial Chapel. Burial will be private.
  Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.

Leonel G. Dubois

Leonel G. Dubois, 81, of Saco died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, at his home after a brief illness.
 He was born Sept. 19, 1928, in Biddeford to Oscar and Louise Houle Dubois.
He was educated in Biddeford schools and graduated from the former St. Louis High School in 1946. He served with the U.S. Army the Korean Conflict.
On May 30, 1955, he married Marie Rose A. Fortier in Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, Saco.
Mr. Dubois worked for 27 years at Edward’s Market in Biddeford and for 20 years at Shaw’s supermarket in Saco until he retired in 1987. He wintered in Nalcrest, Fla., for many years during his retirement.
He was preceded in death in 1980 by his sister, Lucille Dubois.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years of Saco; two sons, James Dubois and his wife, Susan, of Springvale, and David Dubois and his wife, Brenda of Biddeford; one daughter, Nancy Ames and her husband, John, of Biddeford; three sisters, Rachel Dubois of Biddeford, Dorothy Lamothe of Biddeford and Claire Miller of Pittsfield, Mass.; five grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday at Most Holy Trinity Church of the Good Shepherd Parish in Saco, with entombment in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco.  
Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.

Rene C. Lambert

Rene C. “Scram” Lambert, 85, of Biddeford, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, at the Newton Center in Sanford from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
  He was born Feb. 6, 1924, in Biddeford to Rosaire and Bernadette Houle Lambert and was educated at St. Andre’s School.
He was employed in the Pepperell Mills and Gagne Brothers Ice Co., and left to serve in the Army during World War II. Mr. Lambert participated in the Invasion of Normandy and revisited Normandy at the age of 80.
On April 26, 1947, he married Madeleine Mondville at St. Andre’s Church.
After the war he worked for Wakefield Roofing, the Saco-Lowell Shops, Boston & Maine Railroad and Portland Rendering.  In 1967, he and his wife purchased the Marvel Drive-in Restaurant on Route 1 in Saco and operated it for 10 years. He also worked at Vito Mininni Inc. and Carl Subler Trucking during the winter months.  He was employed from 1980 to 1990 by Fiber Materials Inc. and in his retirement he was employed by his brother–in-law and nephews at Northeast Transmission.  
Mr. Lambert was preceded in death on April 21, 1993, by his wife Madeleine Lambert; by five brothers, Bertrand, Renald, Gerard, Raymond and Leo Lambert and by four sisters, Pauline Guillereault, Madeleine Roy, Aline Lambert and Gilberte Comber.
Survivors include his second wife, Laurette Souliere Lambert of Biddeford; his son, Normand Lambert and his wife, Linda, of Acton; two daughters, Diane Wangsoe and her husband, Claus, of Randers, Denmark, and Patricia Thibodeau and her husband, Perry, of  Cumberland; 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 10 stepchildren, many stepgrandchildren and great-grandchildren; a brother, Roland Lambert of Biddeford; and two sisters, Lillian Danyow of Biddeford and Juliette Lambert of Old Orchard Beach.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Wednesday at St. Andre’s Church in Biddeford. Burial with military honors was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Biddeford.  
Donations in Mr. Lambert’s memory may be made to The Maine Special Olympics, attention Linda, 125 John Roberts Road #19, South Portland, ME 04106 or to: Beacon Hospice, 54 Atlantic Place, South Portland, ME 04106.
Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.

John M. McGuiggin

John M. “Jack” McGuiggin, 72, of Biddeford, died Thursday, Dec. 10, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice in Scarborough following a short illness.
He was born May 27, 1937, in Boston to Edward and M. Loretta O’Shaughnessy McGuiggin.  He was educated there and graduated from Cathedral High School in Roxbury in 1955.
Mr. McGuiggin was a civilian employee of the Massachusetts State Police and also served in the Massachusetts National Guard.  He loved music, reading, conversation and spending time with his grandchildren.
He was a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Biddeford.
Survivors include his wife, Julia Gigli McGuiggin of Biddeford, whom he married June 28, 1980, in Bellingham, Mass.; four daughters, Kelly McCarthy of Chilmark, Mass., Colleen Brady of Biddeford, Dr. Mary McGuiggin-Mulryan of Albuquerque, N.M., Erin Behen of Biddeford; his son, John P. McGuiggin of Andover, Mass.; his brother, Raymond P. McGuiggin of Danvers, Mass.; two  sisters, Jeannie Gillon of Huntington, Long Island, N.Y., and Helen Luccio of Medway, Mass.; 15 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Church in Biddeford, with burial in Greenwood Cemetery in Biddeford.
 Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.

Patricia F. Griffin
 
Patricia Fitzpatrick Griffin, 79, of Orange City, Fla., and Saco died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009, in Deltona, Fla., after a long illness.
 She was born Oct.11, 1930, in Saco to the late Edith and Albert Elwell and was raised by her late maternal grandparents, Arabella and Harry Townsend of Saco.
 She was a former Thornton Academy cheerleader, class of 1949; an Army WAC stationed at the Pentagon; well-traveled and an avid reader. She enjoyed rug hooking, basket making, and knitting, as well as creating and sharing family traditions. After many years abroad and stateside, she returned home to Maine in 1969. She worked many years at the former Webber Hospital and University of New England in Biddeford before retiring.
 She cherished her memories of the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco, Eastern Star and the Daughters of Isabella.
 She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kathleen Daughtry; her sons, Patrick and Dennis Fitzpatrick; the father of her children, Paul William Fitzpatrick Sr.; her brothers, Albert and Hervey Elwell and sister, Meredith Binette.
 Survivors include her husband, Victor Griffin of Orange City, Fla.; her daughter, Kelley Fitzpatrick Archer of Saco; her son and his wife, Paul and Jackie Fitzpatrick Jr. of Dayton; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; her brother, Earl Jamieson of Saco; and her sisters, Ellen Morin of Lebanon and Carole Morin and Gail Stephens of Old Orchard Beach.
 Her family will hold a private celebration of her life.

Marlene D. Fortier

Marlene D. Fortier, 76, of Saco, died Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, in Zephyrhills, Fla.  
She was born on March 19, 1933, in Biddeford, to Frederick and Grace Byron Genthner. She graduated from Biddeford High School in 1951.
Mrs. Fortier was a homemaker and loving mother who enjoyed raising her family.  She was employed by Shape in Biddeford for 10 years.
Her hobbies included scrapbooking, making crafts, reading and gardening. She enjoyed wintering in Florida with her husband, Paul, where she was a fun-loving member of the Red Hat Society in Zephyrhills.  Most of all, she loved to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Fortier was a parishioner of St. Joseph’s Church, Good Shepherd Parish in Biddeford.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Raymond.
Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Leo Paul Fortier of Saco; four sons, Richard P. Fortier and his wife, Fabienne, and Robert M. Fortier and his wife, Maureen, all of Biddeford, Paul R. Fortier of Alfred and Frederick J. Fortier and his wife, Karen, of  Saco; three daughters,  Sharon A. Eon-Harris and her husband, Mic, of Kennebunkport, Susan D. Feeney and her husband, Charles, of Scarborough and Sandra L. Dube and her husband, Ed, of Saco; her brother, Robert Genthner of Sebago; 19 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Church, Good Shepherd Parish in Biddeford, with entombment in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco.
Arrangements were by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.

Elizabeth V. Tate

Elizabeth V. Tate, 93, of Saco, died Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford.
She was born March 1, 1916, in Biddeford to William and Mary Rines McCallum.
She graduated from Thornton Academy in 1934 and received her nursing degree from Webber Hospital in Biddeford. She married her husband, Paul, in 1939. She was employed as a registered nurse at Webber Hospital for many years. During retirement she enjoyed wintering in Florida with her husband.
Mrs. Tate was an accomplished seamstress and baker. She was a lifelong member of the United Baptist Church in Saco. She was also a member of the Eastern Star, earlier as a rainbow girl and later as a past worthy matron. Mrs. Tate volunteered for numerous organizations in the community. She was known for helping and being supportive for family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1980 and by her six brothers John, Paul, Philip, Amos, David and Richard.
She is survived by two sons, William P. Tate and his wife, Paulette, of Saco and Ernest W. Tate and his wife, Sandra, of Newburyport, Mass,; four grandchildren,  John, Paul, Jason and Walter Tate; seven great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be 11 a.m. today at Cote Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr Burton S. Howe officiating. Burial will follow in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Saco.
Arrangements are by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.