She was born May 7, 1937 in Brunswick, the daughter of Francois and Florence Caouette Huard. She attended St. John’s School in Brunswick, and graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in Portland in 1955.
Upon graduation she entered the Sisters of Mercy and served with the order through 1965, during which time she attended St. Joseph’s Academy and taught at St. Dominic’s and Cathedral Elementary schools, both in Portland.
On October 1, 1966, she married Russell G. Lachance of Brunswick, who predeceased her on February 10, 1994. After raising their four children, she worked at Grand City department store for several years. Second only to her love of God and her family was her love of music. She began singing on stage as a young girl, touched countless hearts with her angelic voice at hundreds of weddings and funerals, and served as the Music Director at St. Charles Church in Brunswick for more than 20 years. Many have been moved by the beauty of hearing her sing Ave Maria and O Holy Night.
She also loved card making, knitting, and doing needlepoint and cross stitch. Over the past several years she was a participant at Brunswick Area Respite Care, “The Club,” a program serving community members with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. There she continued to share her loving smile, her kind and generous nature, and her voice with the staff and other members.
She is survived by her four daughters, Marcelle Lachance of Brunswick, Gisele Russell of Brunswick, Michele Lachance and husband Kevin Karmosky of Denver, CO, Angele Lachance and wife Jessica Lachance of Topsham, as well as her sister, Sr. Francis Clare Huard of the Sisters of Mercy of Portland, three grandchildren, James-Russell Davey, Seamus Flanagan, and Alena DuDevoir, all of Brunswick, her aunt, Lucille Caouette of Winslow, and numerous cousins.
Memorial visitation will be held Thursday, November 30th from 2-4 & 6-8 PM at Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday, December 1st at 11 AM at St. John’s the Baptist Church- All Saint’s Parish, 39 Pleasant St., Brunswick. Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Brunswick Area Respite Care 41 Greenwood Road, Brunswick, ME 04011. https://donate.firstgiving.com/secure/donate/270180e6-2023-11e0-a279-4061860da51d?
Memorial condolences and a video tribute may be viewed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.
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