BRUNSWICK — Yvette Bisson, age 91, of Garrison St., died Sunday Feb 3rd at Freeport Nursing Home in Freeport. She was born November 12, 1921 in Brunswick, daughter of Jean and Corinne Poulin.

She attended St. Johns School, class of 1937 and attended Brunswick High School. On July 25, 1942 she married Roland Bisson, who died June 6, 1998. They had their wedding reception at her parents’ house. They then bought the house next door, and shortly after, her husband Roland was drafted after they were married only ten months. She worked at Varney Mill on the night shift where many of the Canadians worked. She got that job because the boss knew her father, as did everyone in town. She worked in the spinning room where the threads was wound from a bobbin with a device worked with the knee. She would often walk home from the mill at 2 in the morning. While Roland was away at war, there was a terrible thunderstorm which struck the house while she was at the mill working. The neighbors around saw what happened, and went into the house and took everything out, include the china cabinet and all the china in it. They put everything in the garage! Her father came to her rescue, and side by side they put up new walls and ceilings. He told her if she had been born a boy she would have been his “first man” his right hand man!

She spent most of her life as a homemaker, caring for her children until they were school age. She worked at Bowdoin College in Dining Services for 20 years, retiring in 1988. It gave her great joy being around young people and speaking French with the International students.

Yvette was known for her ability to knit practically anything, including intricate Irish knit patterns and Christmas stockings personalized with names knitted into to them for all of her children, their spouses, and all the grandchildren! She was known as “Memere” to many children, related or not. She handed out homemade cookies regularly. She enjoyed being outdoors, and took daily walks for many years, everyone in the neighborhood recognized her. She also took great pride in her flower beds, and yard. She loved to watch things grow. She was active with 55+ (now People Plus) in her later years, and line dancing lessons well into her 70’s. She loved to dance. She also loved to read. She was very good with her hands, and did many crafts. She enjoyed visiting her many sisters. She and Roland also loved road trips, and went on many weekend trips to Canada to visit relatives.

But overall, her greatest joy came from her children. She loved Christmas, for it meant family get-togethers, and as many as could would go “home”. The food was always plentiful, as was the love and humor. There were many lobster bakes in the back yard at 12 Garrison St. If it rained, they moved it to the garage! Any time any of her children visited was cause for a family get together.

She was a member of the Daughters of Isabella, Father Remy Circle.

Surviving are all of her children, Maurice married to Lorraine of Brunswick, Donald married to Jan of Huntsville, AL, Lionel married to Ann of Stafford Springs and Claude married to Sue of Hampden, MA, and Giselle Rowe of Bennett, Co. She is also survived by nine Grandchildren and nine Great-Grandchildren.

Also surviving are her sisters, Lorraine Bisson, of Topsham, Doris Knight of Dude City, FL, Dorina Morin of Brunswick, Pauline Gamache of Brunswick, Jeannine Pelletier of Bristol, CT; and her brothers, Roland Poulin of Freeport and Leon Poulin of Brunswick.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 Noon, Friday, February 8th, at St. Charles Borromeo Church-All Saints Parish, McKeen St. Brunswick. Burial beside her husband in St. John’s Cemetery, Brunswick will be held in the spring.

Memorial Contributions may be made to St. John’s School Scholarship Fund, 132 McKeen St. Brunswick, ME 04011.

Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.