Rosaire Gagnon

Obituary—Rosaire Gagnon

1923 - 2016

Rosaire Gagnon, 93, of Grand Isle, Maine died peacefully at Forest Hill Manor in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, December 10 of renal failure. He was born on October 24, 1923 in Upper Frenchville, Maine, the eighth child of Philip and Marie (Tardif) Gagnon. He lived in Frenchville most of his life except for some years in Connecticut and Grand Isle.

He was quick-witted, kind, inventive, pragmatic, honest, loving bon vivant. His brother Val said that, “ Rosaire had a good attitude on life, he never   spoke negatively  about anyone and always saw the best in people." He was an outdoorsman to the max  including hunting , fishing, snowmobiling  and riding his all-terrain vehicle with his buddies until recent times. He loved being a member of the Senior Citizen Clubs in the area and enjoyed playing Charlemagne.  He belonged to various clubs in his community and usually was their best ticket seller because he knew people all over the Valley. No one said no to Rosaire because it was always for a good cause.  His hobbies were many: enjoying stained glass making  and jewelry-making, a skill he perfected while working for Kay’s Jewelers in Connecticut decades before.  In the past, he was an aficionado of CB radio and had the biggest antenna in Frenchville.  He loved speaking to people all over the world, especially in Africa, France, Spain and Italy, putting his native French language to good use.

He was a master welder by trade, working in Connecticut and Bath Iron Works and eventually bringing his family back to the St. John Valley.  He built his own welding shop, Gagnon Precision Welding  and a Lawn  and Garden Center in Upper Frenchville, where he sold snowmobiles, lawn tractors and different small engines. He was an inventor of gadgets and obtained a patent for one particular piece. He helped on the family potato growing farm and was known to fix all equipment. He was a logger too, working for Paradis Lumber where he excelled in multi tasking.

He’s is survived by: his only son, Daniel Philip Gagnon of Bristol, Connecticut; three grandchildren, Jeremy Gagnon-Batty, Krystal Gagnon and Phillip Gagnon, all of Connecticut; brother Valere  (Barbara)Gagnon of Syracuse, New York, the last surviving member of a fourteen children family; brothers-in-law, John Labrie of Portland ME, Patrick Labrie, of Hartford, Ct, and Luc (Donna) Labrie of Vernon, CT;  sisters-in law, Connie Dionne Gagnon of Frenchville  Irene Hebert Labrie of  Frenchville and Anita Ayotte of ; god-daughters Janice Dufour of Madawaska and Marie Prins ;god son Jeremy Gagnon Batty; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by: his beloved wife, Simone Madore Labrie Gagnon, who passed away on August 6, 1994; siblings Wilfred, Henri, Cecile Paradis, Lewis, Lorenzo, Lucille, Leo, Priscilla Tardif, Rene, Eva, Louis-Philip, and Thérese.

Friends and relatives may call at the Michaud Funeral Home in Frenchville, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec.14 and Thursday, Dec. 15, 8:30-9:45 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at the Ste. Luce Catholic Church, with Rosaire's nephew, Rev. Father Jean Paul Labrie, officiating and the  Paul Gagnon Family providing the music.  Interment will be in the Ste. Luce Cemetery in the spring.

The family is very grateful for his friends in Grand Isle, who were always available to render assistance, and his home-care givers.  Special thanks to the personnel at NMMC and Forest Hill Manor, who gave quality professional care during his 21-day illness.

Donations may be made in Rosaire’s memory to the Our Lady of the Valley Restoration Fund at PO Box 10 , Ste. Agathe, ME 04772.

Condolences may be made at www.michaudfuneralhomes.com

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