LILLE – Aurelle Collin, 84, died Sept. 10, 2004, at a Van Buren nursing home. He was born June 23, 1920, in St. Agatha, the son of Medley and Ozithe (Chasse) Collin. He later lived in Lille for more than 80 years. Aurelle was an American Legion member for 57 years and was a World War II veteran, having served his country for more than 44 months in the U.S. Army, Battalion B33, Coast Art. Bn., Pacific arena. Upon his return to Lille, he took over his parents’ potato farm and farmed until his retirement. He then turned his talents to wood-carving and became a well-known Acadian folk artist, making miniature scale models of horse-drawn wagons and sleds of various styles and periods. He also carved other animals, equipment and tools that he had seen and worked with in his farming and logging years. He also specialized in making full-scale tool handles for hammers, axes, and other farming/gardening implements. His work is in collections across the U.S. and Canada. Some of his works are currently exhibited at the Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent until Nov. 30 and at the Musee’ Culturelle et Historique du Mont Carmel in Lille. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Bernadette (Morin) Collin of Lille; and one daughter, Avis Collin of Ontario; one sister, Therese Madore. He was predeceased by two brothers, Lionel and Emile; and four sisters, Marthe Belanger, Rose Lynch, Imelda Therrien and Irene Anderson; also by one half brother, Edmund; and by two half sisters, Leona Collin and Cecile Audibert. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Gerard Church in Grand Isle with interment in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Lille. Friends and relatives may call the Daigle Funeral Home from 7-9 p.m. Monday and from 9:30 until time of services on Tuesday.
AURELLE COLLIN
