BRUNSWICK — Wilfred “Will” J. Dionne Jr., age 87, of Weymouth Street, died Thursday, August 22, 2013, at the VA Hospital in Togus.
He was born in Brunswick on June 20, 1926, the son of Wilfred Sr. and MarieAnna Pelletier Dionne. He attended Brunswick schools and was drafted into the Army at the age of 20 for WWII. Will served in Italy and was part of the Provost Marshall’s staff of the repatriation of war prisoners at the end of the war.
On July 24, 1948, he married Juliette Richard, the love of his life. They raised three sons, Richard Dionne of Scarborough, John “Stoney” Dionne, who predeceased them on August 22, 2009, and Robert Dionne of Brunswick.
They have three great grandchildren Amanda of Topsham, Eric of Woolwich and Rick from Florida. Three great-grandchildren, Brandon, Josh and Ryan. Last, but not least, many nieces and nephews who considered him like a father.
Will, as most people call him, worked at Bath Iron Works as a tool systems administrator and owned Brunswick Cleaners for 25 years. His family and friends were his whole life, and he loved being around them.
Will also enjoyed church, where he was active since the age of 8 as an altar server and he loved visiting the shut-ins and bringing them Holy Communion. He served as a Eucharistic Minister, lector and usher up until the last summer.
He served on the school board for 5 years, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He will be remembered by many as the man who could answer all your questions about the past and one whom you could always count on as a friend. His philosophy in life was “if you can’t say something nice about a person, then don’t say anything.”
Visiting hours will be held Friday, August 30 from 6-8 p.m. at Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 31 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s the Baptist Church-All Saints Parish, Pleasant Street, Brunswick, and burial with military honors will follow at St. John’s Cemetery, Brunswick.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Will’s memory may be made to the St. John’s Memorial Scholarship Fund- All Saints Parish, 132 McKeen St., Brunswick, ME 04011 or Masses may be said in his name at St. John’s Church.
Memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.
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