NIANTIC, Conn. – Hector Blanchette passed on to our Lord in heaven Thursday, June 10, 2010. Born Nov. 4, 1922, he was son of the late Augusta and Alma (Beaupre) Blanchette of Stockholm. He moved from Hartford, Conn., to New Britain, Conn., after his marriage to Imelda Belanger of Caribou. He lived in New Britain, Conn., until 1975 and then moved to Black Point in Niantic, Conn., for the remainder of his life. He remarried to Jane Glackin of New Britain, Conn., after the death of his first wife in 1963. He lived alone after the death of Jane in 2001. At age 16 he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and then the U.S. Army in World War II. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific theater of operations with the Amphibious Engineers of Company D of the 594th Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment. He fought in New Guinea, and Luzon and Manila in the Philippines. He was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon with Bronze Service Star, Philippines Liberation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He worked as an operating engineer until his retirement at age 57. He worked for Associated Construction, Arute Brothers and other large construction companies in the region. He helped to build many of the interstate roads we all travel on in the northeastern United States. He was most proud to work on the rebuilding of St. Joseph Cathedral, Hartford, Conn., and as a crane operator he placed the steeple on the building. He was a proud member for 62 years of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 478. He was also a member of Knights of Columbus and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post No. 5849, East Lyme, Conn. He was also an active parishioner of St. Agnes Church, Niantic, Conn., and was an usher at Mass on Sundays. He is survived by three sons and their wives, Philip and Linda Blanchette of Coventry, Conn., Gary and Christine of Ellington, Conn., and Jeff and Michelle of Ellicott City, Md.; four sisters, Babine Wolski and husband, Earnie, of Cincinnati, Barbara Ouellette of Enfield, Conn., and Pauline Saucier of Bristol, Conn., and Jackie Clark and husband, Keith, of Frenchville; more than 150 nieces and nephews; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by three brothers, John Blanchette of Hartford, Conn., Damien and wife, Delores, of Fort Kent and Michael and wife, Marge, of Sarasota, Fla.; and one sister Annette Bouchard of Farmington, Conn. Calling hours will be held 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Thomas L. Neilan & Sons East Lyme Funeral Home, 48 Grand St., Niantic, Conn., where the funeral procession will assemble 10:15 a.m. Wednesday and proceed to a Mass of Christian burial 11 a.m. at St. Agnes Church. Interment will be at a later date at St. Mary Cemetery, Meriden, Conn. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. For directions or to sign the family’s online guest book, please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com.
HECTOR BLANCHETTE
