Peter Lawrence Goulet, 64, of Saco, passed away on Friday, March 24, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born in Berlin, New Hampshire, on March 6, 1959, the youngest of five children to Lawrence and Claire (L’Heureux) Goulet. He grew up in Gorham, New Hampshire, graduating from Gorham High School, class of 1977 and was a proud alumni of the University of New Hampshire, class of 1981.
Peter was a food industry veteran for 47 years. He started in-store at Hannaford Bros and worked his way to corporate as director of produce merchandising. In 2006, he founded Pinnacle Sales and Marketing, which he ran for 15 years before retiring in 2020. Peter was very active in the global fresh produce industry serving on a number of task forces and boards. He was honored to serve as chairman of the board of the Produce Marketing Association and to be named the North American Produce Marketer of the Year in 2000.
An active community volunteer, Peter coached a variety of youth sports in Saco, was a Boy Scouts of America leader and officiated swim meets throughout the state for YMCA, USA and high school.
He met the love of his life, Catherine Blunt, in 2007, and after a 10-year courtship they married on Aug. 15, 2020.
Peter enjoyed the outdoors – as a child fishing with his family and gardening with his father. He took great pride in his yard work, always striving for the best lawn in the neighborhood. Other outdoor activities included hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, and the annual Goulet family camping vacation at Sebago Lake State Park.
He also enjoyed participating in, watching, and attending many sports, with the Red Sox and Patriots topping the list. Once retired, he fulfilled a bucket list goal of becoming a golf club member and hitting the links at least twice a week.
Other interests include reading, woodworking, road trips up the coast, 1970s classic rock music, and live theater. He was passionate about wine, enjoying full-bodied reds and serving very generous “Peter Pours” to family and friends.
He was forever proud of his kids and always talked of their accomplishments, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, pool deck, or in their careers. This sense of pride continued with his six grandchildren, to whom he adored.
He will be remembered as well accomplished, proud, driven, witty, maybe a little stubborn and as having a great sense of humor. Others who knew him well would agree, that inside that hard shell was a big, warm heart.
Peter is predeceased by his parents and grandparents.
He is survived by his loving wife, Catherine; his three children, Stefanie King (Jason) of Saco, Brian Goulet (Ashley) of Arundel, Krista Weiss (Greg) of West Milford, New Jersey; six grandchildren, Eric, Andrew, Lee, Rose, Landon, and Emily; two stepdaughters, Courtney and Madison Dexter of Saco; and in-laws, John and Carolyn Blunt of Saco. He also leaves behind four siblings and their spouses, Dennis Goulet (Susan) of Kingston, New Hampshire, Roger Goulet (Carol) of Gorham, New Hampshire, Rachel Wilson (David) of Chichester, New Hampshire, and Denise Corrigan (Daniel) of Gorham, New Hampshire. Extended loving family includes aunts and uncles and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, at Cote Funeral Home Chapel, 87 James St., Saco. A Funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 3, at Most Holy Trinity Church in Saco, with burial to follow in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Saco.
Peter’s family would like to thank The Maine Health Cancer Center staff for their excellent care and compassion during Peter’s long 2-plus-year cancer journey.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider donating in Peter’s name to The Dempsey Center or The Foundation for Fresh Produce, which promotes healthy eating for children and families.
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