Rita L. Bernier

SANFORD – Rita L. Bernier, 86, of Sanford, passed away surrounded by her family on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. She was born in Biddeford on Nov. 17, 1932, a daughter of the late Philomen and Eva (Bolduc) Lachance. She attended St. Andre’s School in Biddeford and the Gorham State Teachers School.

On Oct. 12, 1957, she married the love of her life, Gerard at St. Andre’s Church in Biddeford. They started their family and made their home in Sanford where they raised their six children. In 1986 they established and operated Apache Campground, a family business they ran for 32 years.

A communicant of Holy Family Parish, she was a member of the Ladies of St. Anne and the Daughter’s of Isabella.

Laughter was her best medicine.She enjoyed laughing and making people laugh. She not only brought joy into people’s lives, she was the life of the party. Her joking and outgoing personality will be missed and a great loss to all who knew her.

She is predeceased by her son, Michael R. Bernier who passed in 1969.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Gerard J. Bernier of Sanford; her five children, Gisele MacDonald and her husband Brad of Sanford along with their children, Erica Murphy and her husband Ryan and Trevor MacDonald, Denise Houle and her husband David of Sanford and their son Nicholas Houle, Annette Castonguay and her husband Thomas of Sanford and their children Shauna Castonguay, David Castonguay, Amy Rivard, Michelle Jones and her husband Cameron, Trina Rivard, Claire Webb and her husband Stephen of Sanford and their children Cory Webb, Stephanie Webb, Holly Webb, Braeden Webb, Richard M. Bernier of Sanford. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Sophia, Arianna, Gabriella and Elliot.

Visiting hours will be on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Lafrance-Lambert & Black Funeral Home, 29 Winter St., Sanford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Holy Family Church. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed at www.blackfuneralhomes.com.

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