KENNEBUNK — Charles A. Guerin, 98, of Pompton Plains, New Jersey and West Kennebunk, died Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 at his home in West Kennebunk.

He was born Feb. 11, 1917 in Biddeford, a son of J. Sigismond and Bertha (Auger) Guerin.

He was educated locally at St. Andre’s Parish School in Biddeford for grammar school and 9th grade, and then in Montreal from 1931-37 at the Collége de Montréal.

During World War II he served (1942-46) as a radioman in the U.S. Army, returning to complete his law school education at Catholic University of America Law School in Washington D.C.

On July 2, 1951, he married Betty Bleichner in St. Andre’s Church in Biddeford. He and Betty shared many of the same interests throughout their almost 60 years together.

Charles devoted his career to serving as an attorney with the United States Treasury, primarily in the Tax Legislative Counsel’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service. He began his legal career with Treasury’s Bureau of the Public Debt, where he also served again for several years as deputy chief counsel before his retirement in 1980.

While working in the tax area, Charles helped draft legislation and provided critical advice to the secretary of the treasury on key bills involving Medicare and various challenges to the tax code. In this capacity, he was instrumental in achieving tax-exempt status for certain religious groups as well as ensuring the application of the tax code as appropriate.

During Charles’ years with the Bureau of the Public Debt, he contributed to the resolution of many issues involving the funding of the public debt through the sale of treasury securities. True to his goal for plain language, his last contribution involved vastly simplifying the regulations governing U.S. savings bonds. In all of his work life, Charles served as a mentor to young lawyers and staff and they were his proudest legacy.

He was an active member of his church (Maine, Washington D.C., and New Jersey), local garden boards (Galveston Street, Reno Road, Glover Park Community Gardens in D.C., and Cedar Crest), and the CUA Law School Alumni Association. He was a lifelong and passionate student with interests focused primarily on law, politics, news, ethics, theology, travel, cooking, gardening, genealogy and languages; but above all, he spent time on and with his large family and many friends.

His wife Betty died on Dec. 17, 2010; he is also preceded in death by: brothers, Robert and George Guerin; and sisters; Paulette Baillargeon, Martha Greaney, and Madeleine Guerin.

Charles is survived by: one daughter, Marie Guerin of Mt. Kisco, New York and West Kennebunk; one sister, Estelle Coryea of Salem, New Hampshire; 26 nieces and nephews; and 12 greatnieces and nephews

There will be no visiting hours. A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 at St. Martha’s Church in Kennebunk. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

Arrangements are by Hope Memorial Chapel, 480 Elm St., Biddeford, ME 04005. To share condolences online, visit www.hopememorial.com.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to any of the following in Charles’ name:

The Catholic University of America Law School’s Innocence Project Clinic and Clemency Project. Checks can be made out to CUALaw Clemency Project and mailed to CUA-Columbus School of Law, Department 4060, Washington D.C. 20042-4060.

Maine Sea Coast Mission. Checks can be made out to Maine Sea Coast Mission Home Repair and Emergency Assistance Programs and mailed to Maine Sea Coast Mission, 127 West St., Bar Harbor, ME 04609.

New York Public Television. Checks can be made out to WNET Thirteen and mailed to THIRTEEN, 825 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019.

Visiting Nurses of Saco. Checks can be made out to Home Health Visiting Nurses, and mailed to them at 15 Industrial Park Road, Saco, ME 04072.