Pauline A. Cote, 91, of Old Orchard Beach, died in her Saco Avenue home on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010.

She was born Annette Pauline Picard in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, on Feb. 9, 1919.

Mrs. Cote was the third and last surviving child of Lucieana and Arthur Picard’s five children.

 Her family moved to the United States when she was 4, where they lived in Maine, Vermont and moved back to a  dairy farm in Saco.

On Aug. 31, 1940, she married Fernand A. Cote. They moved their family to Saco Avenue in 1951, where they raised nine children.

Mrs. Cote ran the Chez Fernand Motel and enjoyed the many tourists who became friends over the years. She was a homemaker, devoted mother and grandmother.

She also was a self-taught seamstress and sewed for family and friends. She also cared for some of her grandchildren and several area children after school and enjoyed meeting them as adults with their own children when they came to visit.

She took care of several elderly people in her home, relatives and people of the community. She enjoyed going to church at St. Margaret where she was a member of  the former Ladies Sodality of the former St. Margaret Parish and prayer group.  To many, she will be remembered as the elderly lady who shoveled her roof and driveway on Saco Avenue.

She loved gardening, growing plants, being outside, taking walks. She also loved being mémère to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Right up to her last moments, her great sense of humor brought laughter to all who cared for and visited her.

 She was predeceased by Fernand, her husband of 50 years who died in 1991; and two of her children, Denise in 1978 and Joseph Conrad in 2007.

Survivors include five sons, Robert and his wife, Lillian, of Jacksonville, N.C., Rene and his wife, Elaine, of Saco, Donald and his wife, Angela, of Old Orchard Beach, Paul and Kathy of Hollis, Jean and his wife, Ruth, of Saco; two daughters, Priscille Cote and Madeleine LaPlante, both of Old Orchard Beach, 12 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

 Arrangements were by Old Orchard Beach Funeral Home.

Theresa Perron Bennett

Theresa Perron Bennett, 79, of Falmouth, died unexpectedly Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, at Maine Medical Center.

She was born Nov. 1, 1930, in Biddeford to Pierre and Dorilda (Baril) Perron and was educated in Biddeford schools. She graduated from the former St. Joseph High School in Biddeford in 1950.

On Dec. 26, 1976, she married Donald H. Bennett in Florida.

Mrs. Bennett was a communicant of Holy Martyrs Church in Falmouth. She and her husband spent many winters boating in the coastal waterways of southern Florida.  After her husband’s death in 1999, she spent the last several winters in the Jupiter, Fla., area.

She was predeceased by her husband, Donald H. Bennett, former president of Oakhurst Dairy; her parents; six brothers, Armand, Edgar, Louis Phillip, Paul, Roland and Raoul Perron; and two sisters, Sister Yvonne Perro and Jeanne Bard.

Survivors include her brother, Robert Perron of Biddeford; sister, Anita Michniewich of Portsmouth, N.H.; many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews; and her stepchildren, Priscilla B. Doucette, Stanley T. Bennett, Althea B. McGirr, William P. Bennett, Jean B. Driscoll, Mary Ellen B. Tetreau and John H. Bennett and their families.

 Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel.

Elliott E. Saunders Jr.

Elliott E. Saunders Jr., 66, of Old Orchard Beach and formerly of Salem, Mass., died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, following a brief illness.

 He was born May 16, 1944, in Salem, Mass., to the late Elliott and Estelle (DelGardo) Saunders Sr. and graduated from Salem High School.

 On July 22, 2000, he married Gale-Ann M. Hendricks in Salem, Mass. They retired to Old Orchard Beach in 2003 after vacationing there for many years.

Mr. Saunders worked as a drywaller in Salem for more than 25 years before retiring in 2003. Following retirement, he worked at Whitehall Corp., maintaining the buildings, restaurants and shops in downtown Old Orchard Beach for several years.

He was a lifelong Celtics fan and former basketball and softball player and enjoyed coaching women’s softball. Mr. Saunders was an avid fisherman, especially off the Maine and Massachusetts coasts. He also enjoyed playing pool at The Whaler in Old Orchard Beach.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Carol Saunders Graves and Sandra Saunders; and two brothers, John Chester Saunders and Sidney Saunders.

Survivors include his wife of 10 years, Gale-Ann M. Saunders of Old Orchard Beach and formerly of Salem, Mass.; two daughters, Christine Pruitt of Salem, Mass., and Lori-Jean Vanne of Corvalis, Ore.; two sons, David Vanne of Beverly, Mass., and Jason Vanne and his wife, Joanne, of Danvers, Mass.; one brother and sole surviving sibling, Bruce Saunders; seven grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements were by Cathedral Pines Funeral Home, Old Orchard Beach.

Roger E. Thibodeau

Roger E. Thibodeau, 72, of Biddeford, died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford after a long illness.

He was born Oct. 15, 1937, in Biddeford to Ephrem J. and Juliette D. Boucher Thibodeau. He was educated at St. Andre Grammar School and attended the former St. Louis High School.

On May 9, 1959, he married Helen E. St. Onge at St. Margaret Church in Old Orchard Beach.

Mr. Thibodeau owned and operated Nemo’s Garage at Halfway in Old Orchard Beach for 14 years. He later worked seven years as captain of the commercial fishing vessel Duchess in Portland and last worked 20 years at Fiber Material Inc. in Biddeford until he retired in 2005.

He was a member of the Old Orchard Beach Knights of Columbus for 47 years, the Saco Yacht Club and Sons of AMVETS. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons and vacationing with the family at Eagle Lake and playing cards with family and friends. He was a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees and New York Giants.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Madeleine Langevin and Irene St. Amand.

 Survivors include his wife of 51 years of Biddeford; two daughters, Debra Levasseur and her husband, David, of Biddeford and Carol Morneault of Buxton; three sons, James Thibodeau and his wife, Carol, of Biddeford,  Paul Thibodeau of Biddeford and Richard Thibodeau of Chelsea, Mass.; two brothers  Raoul “Pete” Thibodeau and his wife, Wilma, of Sanford and Raynald “Bill” Thibodeau and his wife, Rolande, of Biddeford; eight grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel.

Diana P. Bissonnette

Diana P. Bissonnette, 91, of Biddeford, died Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.

She was born June 5, 1919, in Saco to William and Josephine Martel. She was educated in Saco schools.

Mrs. Bissonnette was employed for 10 years by Pepperell Manufacturing in Biddeford. She also worked for Raytheon in Andover, Mass., for 20 years and retired in 1983.

Her hobbies included knitting, crocheting and beano. She was an avid card player and enjoyed traveling.

Mrs. Bissonnette was a parishioner of Most Holy Trinity Church, Good Shepherd Parish in Saco.

She was predeceased by her husband, Ralph, on Feb. 7, 2000, and by one son, Paul, in 2004.

Survivors include two sons, Robert A. Bissonnette and his wife, Rita, of Saco and Roger R. Bissonnette of San Diego, Calif.; one daughter-in-law, Dorothy Bissonnette of Oceanside, Calif.; two brothers, William Martel of North Waterboro and Gerard Martel and his wife, Kathleen, of Dayton; three sisters, Irene Morin and her husband, Ralph, of Florida, Amanda Morin and her husband, Robert, of Florida and Theresa Dauphin and her husband, Raymond, of Florida; eight grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and several nieces and nephews.

 Arrangements were by Cote Funeral Home, Saco.

Robert P. LoPresti

Robert P. LoPresti, 69, of Old Orchard Beach, died Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House with his family at his side.

He was born Jan. 27, 1941 in Saugus, Mass., to the late Joseph and Josephine (Sawin) LoPresti. He attended schools in Saugus and graduated from Saugus High School in 1959.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army following high school, served overseas in Germany and was honorably discharged in 1962.

Mr. LoPresti worked at the Saugus Police Department for several years before relocating to Old Orchard Beach. He joined his father in the family business, the former LoPresti Fuel and Burner Service. After several years, he took over the business from his father and continued operation until his retirement in 1998. He also co-owned and worked with his wife and daughters at Cascade Garden Center, Old Orchard Beach.

Mr. LoPresti was former chairman of the Old Orchard Beach Zoning Board of Appeals, former chairman of the Old Orchard Beach Planning Board and member of the town council. He also was a member of the local Lion’s Club and Kiwanis’ Club.

He was predeceased by his sister, Jan Smith.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Charlene (Gould) LoPresti of Old Orchard Beach; three daughters, Jodine LoPresti Adams of Wells, Ann Marie (Anthony) LoPresti of Old Orchard Beach and Julie Ann LoPresti of Old Orchard Beach; a sister, Camille Bourque and her husband, Paul, of Buxton; a brother, David LoPresti of Duchesne, Utah; one grandson and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Arrangements were by Hope Memorial Chapel, Biddeford.