Portland.
He was born in St. Benoit, Quebec, Canada on June 14, 1938. a son of the late Eddy and Bella (Veilleux) Rodrigue.
When he moved to Sanford, one of his first jobs was picking apples, and this is where he met his future wife, Lorraine Hupe. They married on July 18, 1959 and started their family.
Donald also worked in the Sanford Shoe Shops as well as New England Home, and operated his own business, Rodrigue Construction Inc. He retired from Pratt & Whitney with over 20 years of service with the company.
Donald enjoyed building houses, making furniture, spending time in the woods and making maple syrup. He especially cherished his time with his family and grandchildren. A loving father, he was also a friend and a teacher figure for his children. In his spare time he enjoyed weaving blankets, tending to grounds around his home and playing bingo at the AMVETS.
Donald is preceded in death by: his son, Ronald Rodrigue; and brothers, Guy and Serge Rodrigue.
He is survived by his loving family: his wife of 56 years, Lorraine Rodrigue of Shapleigh; children, Jimmy Rodrigue and his wife Saret of Wells; Daniel Rodrigue and his wife Beverly of Lebanon; Patricia Margolis and her husband Mark of Shapleigh, and Andrew Rodrigue and companion Kelly Weymouth of Shapleigh; grandchildren, Kristin Berlin, Kevin Rodrigue, Chantal Margolis, Michelle Margolis, and Tasha Rodrigue; four greatgrandchildren; brothers, Laurent Rodrigue and Real Rodrigue of Ontario; and sisters, Anita Veilleux and Christine Routhier of St. Benoit. He is also survived by his extended family that he helped raised when he married Lorraine: Richard Hupe, Maurice Hupe, Sandra Bicknell, Nancy Townsend, Michael Hupe, and Donald Hupe and Real Hupe, who are both predeceased.
Visiting hours for Donald will be on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. at the Lafrance- Lambert & Black Funeral Home, 29 Winter Street, Sanford.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, Notre Dame Church in Springvale. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Sanford.
Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider donations in his memory to the New England Cancer Specialists of Kennebunk, 2 Independence Drive, Kennebunk, ME 04043.
Condolences may be expressed at www.blackfuneralhomes.com.
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