EAGLE LAKE – Bertha (Gallant) Blanchette, 94, passed away April 27, 2010, at Mercy Home, Eagle Lake. She was born April 29, 1915, at Eagle Lake, the fifth child of Vincent and Marguerite (Aucoin) Gallant, immigrants from Newfoundland. She graduated from Madawaska Normal School, Fort Kent, at age 16. She began a teaching career that lasted more than 45 years in local schools. She taught all grades in elementary school, spending more than 25 years teaching kindergarten. She continued her education while teaching and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, in 1956. She was an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Order of Foresters, American Legion Auxiliaries, Ladies of St. Anne, Aroostook RSVP and Eagle Lake Senior Citizens. She was a communicant of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Eagle Lake, served on the parish council and was a Eucharistic minister. Bertha enjoyed playing cards and being with family and friends. In 2007, the Ladies of St. Anne named her Mother of the Year. In 2009, she was awarded the Gold Cane from the University of Maine at Fort Kent. One of the things she was most proud of was ensuring that all of her children obtained a college education. She was predeceased by her husband, Odeo Blanchette of Eagle Lake, in 1983; her sisters, Stella Dube and Annie Ouellette; and her brothers, Aloysius, Rene, Lawrence, Norbert, William and Edwin. She is survived by her children, Maurice and Mary (Henry) of Ellington, Conn., May and Ellery Bouchard of East Orland, Anne and Norman Fournier of Wallagrass, Earl and Vickie (Bansmer) of Spring, Texas, Daniel and his partner, Phillip Drake, of Elliot, and Paul and Rose (Parent) of Fairfield. Additionally, she is survived by her grandchildren, Michael and Lora (Clark) Bouchard, Lori (Bouchard) and Jasen Wood, Randy and Gretchen (Clayton) Fournier, Lynn (Fournier) and Chris Sheridan, Kelly, Amie and Nicole Blanchette, Daniel, William, Karen and Susan Blanchette, Brandon, Alana and Travis Blanchette; 12 great-grandchildren, Lauren and Braxton Wallace, Aaron and Shae Bouchard, Keeli, Kyle, Kasey and Kaden Wood, Ben Sheridian, Ketan, Ginna and Bowen Fournier; many nieces and nephews. Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 7, and 8 a.m. until time of departure for Eagle Lake Saturday, May 8, at Daigle Funeral Home, Fort Kent. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Fort Kent. Burial will be afterward in the parish cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s Cemetery Fund, care of St. John Vianney Parish, 26 East Main St., Fort Kent, ME 04743; Eagle Lake Ladies of St. Anne, P.O. Box 397, Eagle Lake, ME 04739; or Eagle Lake Senior Citizen Center, care of Jeanne Bouchard, P.O. Box 195, Eagle Lake, ME 04739.
BERTHA (GALLANT) BLANCHETTE
