MARY E. (ROGERS) LEBLANC

CENTER CONWAY, N.H. – Mary E. (Rogers) Leblanc, 69, died peacefully March 15, 2009, surrounded by her five children, at Memorial Hospital, North Conway, N.H. She was born Sept. 30, 1939, in Boothbay Harbor, the daughter of Robert C. Rogers and Nina Mae (Hatch) Rogers. She attended Boothbay Harbor High School and received her degree at the University of Maine, Orono. Mary spent most of her career working to improve the lives of the people of the Saint John Valley, Aroostook County and the state of Maine. After leaving college, she worked as a social worker in Augusta. While there, she met a young lawyer, Joel Leblanc, who would soon become her husband. She was, for 13 years, the field representative for Sen. George J. Mitchell in Presque Isle, serving tirelessly and with honor, the people of all Aroostook County. She also held positions with the Maine State Board of Education, the United States Census, working for the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Loring Redevelopment Authority and Maine Technical College system. She was active in Democratic politics, helping to elect local, state and national candidates and being instrumental in arranging for First Lady Rosalynn Carter to visit Madawaska in the only known visit of a sitting first lady to the Saint John Valley. She was an avid community organizer and supporter of development in Northern Maine, and was among the first women offered invitation into the Kiwanis Club of Presque Isle and the first female president of that organization. When Presque Isle hosted the Maine State Democratic Convention, she proudly served as the honorary chairperson for the convention and welcomed Democrats from around the state to her corner of Maine. She lived throughout the State of Maine during her life, spending extended time in Boothbay Harbor, Orono, Augusta, Hallowell, Madawaska, Presque Isle, Easton, Gardiner and Portland. She retired in 2005 to Center Conway, N.H., moving to be within minutes of her beloved daughters and grandchildren. She appeared as an extra in the film Carousel, which was filmed in Boothbay Harbor. She loved to play golf and she was an avid quilt maker – and those she left behind will cherish those mementos. Her strength of character was evident as a single mother raising five children when her husband passed away. She was predeceased by her husband, Joel R. Leblanc, in 1980. She is survived by her children, Peter Leblanc of Vancouver, British Columbia, Susan (Leblanc) Perry of Chatham, N.H., Daniel Leblanc of Geneva, Switzerland, Elizabeth (Leblanc) Charles of Fryeburg, and Andrew Leblanc of Washington, D.C. Her greatest loves at her death were her 10 grandchildren, Christopher Perry, Jennifer Perry, Sydney Charles, Abigail Leblanc, Alexis Charles, Leah Charles, Rory Leblanc, Drew Leblanc, Brady Leblanc and Dillon Leblanc. She will be fondly remembered by dozens of nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom she will dearly miss seeing at the annual Rogers family reunion. Visiting hours will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Wood Funeral Home, 9 Warren St., Fryeburg. A Mass of Christian burial will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, March 19, at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Fryeburg. Interment will be in the spring in Madawaska, with her beloved husband, Joel. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her memory to The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute, Mitchell Institute, 22 Monument Square, Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101.